


Acting

by 1Strategy_Renee1



Category: Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen, Welcome to Sanditon
Genre: F/F, F/M, HEA, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:20:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 104,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26447716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1Strategy_Renee1/pseuds/1Strategy_Renee1
Summary: What will Charlotte do when her book, Sanditon—An Imagined Ending, is optioned for a film starring the infamous Sid “Sin” Parker? This modern-day Sidlotte story is a bit of a mash up of reality, literature, and the television production. Let’s see if it works!
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker, Lord Babington/Esther Denham
Comments: 1292
Kudos: 833





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi—thanks for clicking on my story! Trying a little fun with our favorite characters by mixing up a lot of stuff. I think this may get messy, but I like to experiment if you’re up for it. If it doesn’t work, we can always end it! 😊

“We have Sid Parker!” Esther uncharacteristically screamed into the phone temporarily deafening Charlotte who initially remained silent at the news.

“Congratulations,” she finally managed to utter with the most enthusiasm she could muster. Charlotte had no intention of dampening Esther’s happiness. As assistant casting director, Esther and her boss had been working this angle for months—nearly eight in actuality—at the direction of the reclusive executive producer who only communicated via email and no one had yet to actually meet in person. But Charlotte couldn’t have been more frustrated by the news.

“We must have drinks tonight,” Esther commanded, knowing she had little chance of persuading Charlotte to say yes.

“How about a run in the morning instead?” Charlotte countered.

Esther sighed, “sure. See you at six.”

Charlotte was confident she wouldn’t see Esther tomorrow and instead would receive a text with significant typos between two and three in the morning to cancel. She weakly smiled as she put down her phone—she was truly happy for Esther. Esther had become a real friend over the last few months and she would have liked to say yes to drinks, but the reality was that she simply couldn’t waste the money. 

Propping her elbows on her desk, Charlotte rested her chin in her hands as she looked around her postage-stamp-sized flat. The last eighteen months had started off as a dream that quickly became a nightmare and now with Sid Parker in the lead role, that nightmare looked to continue, at the very least, for several months of shooting. She looked at a copy of her novel on the desk and resisted the urge to toss it across the room like she had done many times before.

Her fingers traced the title, _Sanditon—An Imagined Ending_ , as she remembered the first time she found a copy of Jane Austen’s unfinished work in her mother’s study. An avid fan, her mother had read and reread Austen’s works to Charlotte instead of storybooks and fairytales—even naming Charlotte after _Sanditon’s_ lead character.

At age nine, Charlotte began imagining and then writing what she believed Jane would have penned—evolving and revising the story year after year as she journeyed from adolescence, through puberty to womanhood. Her mother encouraged her early writing—believing Charlotte to have an old soul that desperately needed to be expressed. Charlotte continued the writing even after her mother’s death when she was sixteen as a way to stay close to her. How she wished that her mother was alive to guide her through this. Charlotte would have liked to turn to her father but she felt that relationship had become even more frayed over this last year. He had warned her to be careful in London—if only she had heeded his words.

She remembered her excitement that day she called him. “They want to publish my book!” she recalled nearly yelling into the phone while pinching herself at the same time. She had just finished her master’s degree in English literature and before she departed university had corralled the courage to finally show her work to the creative writing professor—Elle Denham—the first person to see it other than her mother. Just a few weeks later, after Elle made some calls, there was a publishing deal on the table and Charlotte saw only bright lights and heard the witty chatter of the London literary beau monde.

It was all promises and sunshine as Charlotte was ushered around by her publisher as a modern-day “Jane.” Her wild chestnut locks and petite yet sensuous figure was as pleasing on camera as her determined and sultry voice was on radio interviews. Unfortunately, things unraveled quickly. While the novel was critically well-received, the release was poorly timed as audiences had jumped off the Austen wave and were decidedly embedded in the new Bronte craze. Her novel ended up in the bargain bin and the promise of royalties she thought would help pay off student loans vanished as quickly as her publisher and her new literary circle of ‘friends.’

When an independent production company came looking for a one-time option to make the book into a film, she couldn’t refuse. The deal made her lead script writer and it offered her at least enough to pay off some of her loans and enable her to live, albeit humbly, in London for what she estimated to be another year, maybe more, if the film actually made any money. She knew she was tremendously lucky and should not only be grateful but excited to have all these experiences at such a young age, but this Sid Parker casting was exactly the treatment she didn’t think her novel deserved.

A soft nuzzle at her knee stirred her from her thoughts. “You always know when I’m getting way too melancholy,” she said, tousling the hair of her golden retriever, Butter. “Walk?” she asked as she pushed herself up from her desk and donned her wool jacket, ready for the brisk fall afternoon.

Halfway to the dog park she was distracted by a news alert on her phone from TMZ—she had subscribed to the notifications months ago when this Parker rumor began. She already knew what it would say. _Sid Parker signs on for lead role in film of failed novel_.

Charlotte growled and Butter looked up at her confused. The last thing she wanted was an actor only really known for carrying a gun in some space-age adventure and for winning the “Best Kiss” award at the now fairly defunct MTV Movie Awards. The casting agent’s courting of the great Sid Parker had been all over the entertainment press and Charlotte suffered through all the damn celebrity news alerts about the will he/won’t he sign up for an adaptation of such an “unsuccessful novel” for far too long.

Charlotte wanted a serious actor who was known more for his craft and not his proclivity to do fight scenes against CGI werewolves and then bed his leading ladies, giving him the nickname of “Sin” Parker. She was pushing a much lesser-known actor, James Stringer, who was a locally well-known stage performer trying to make the leap to screen. She knew she had little hope. What she had learned about the publishing and now the film world was that image was far more important than substance and neither were worlds she really wanted any part of.

Butter licked her hand and Charlotte offered her a treat from her pocket. Even though Charlotte needed to budget, she felt Butter shouldn’t have to suffer and always had food on hand. After twenty minutes of fetch where Charlotte did most of the retrieving and chasing for the eight-year-old dog, she was feeling much more herself and started almost letting herself consider that Sid’s casting could be a real boon. If the film was a success, she’d only benefit so why not at least give it a try. It was his job to act; it was hers to write—so they probably wouldn’t even meet. She hadn’t actually seen any of his films and resolved to head to the library later that evening to pick up a few of his DVDs, having discontinued any streaming services months ago.

With a new determination to give it a chance and make it work, Charlotte headed back to her flat with a now tired Butter in tow. That feeling didn’t last long though thanks to a text from Esther.

_You need to be in the production office at 10 tomorrow morning—Sid has some ideas about the script._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suspension of disbelief here! While I’ve been on a few commercial and documentary sets – I have no idea how films are really made so just winging it. Thanks! Oh, and with work being what it is, I plan on updating every ~3-4 days or so if you become interested and want to keep reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Well, my heart is just pounding from all of your kindness! Here is another chapter--let's see how it goes :) Stay healthy out there everyone!

“It’s Sidney—S.I.D.N.E.Y. Come on Tom, you know I hate the name Sid,” Sidney said, trying to keep his voice low as to not alert his brother’s children that their father had yet to arrive home. “I have a meeting at the production office this morning and I can’t be late—you were supposed to be back to take the children to school,” he reminded in a tense whisper.

“I’m sorry, I got caught up in meetings and missed the Eurostar last night,” he apologized. “Can you have the nanny see the kids off to school and I’ll be back in time to pick them up?”

Sidney rubbed the back of his neck; he could feel his muscles continue to tighten. “Tom, it’s song day at school and Jenny has the solo—Mary reminded you a dozen times. This isn’t something for the nanny—family needs to be there.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone and Sidney knew he’d be taking the kids to school as well as missing his meeting to sit for song day. He loved being with his nieces and nephews so when his sister-in-law Mary asked him to pitch in while she went to help her sister with the new baby for two weeks, Sidney relished the opportunity. He just didn’t realize that when Mary asked for help with the children, she grouped Tom in that category. Sidney mentally took note to send Mary the biggest bouquet of flowers he could find to thank her for all she put up with.

“I’m so sorry Sid…Sidney,” Tom said, with all sincerity. “You know me and details—and the more I try to focus on them, the more they elude me.”

“Just come home, Tom. Love you,” Sidney said and ended the call. He was exasperated more with himself than with Tom. He knew at his core that Tom was a visionary with a big heart who tended to behave more like a golden retriever—a loyal companion but easily distracted by squirrels and any moving or shiny object—than a responsible adult. Expecting anything else was his fault, not Tom’s. That’s why last year Sidney had to relieve Tom of his role as his agent. It was a tough decision and an even tougher discussion, but while Tom did help Sidney get his big start, of late, the agreements he made were for movies that were the exact opposite of what Sidney desired—they offered no challenge and frankly, he didn’t want them to be the legacy he left for his children, that is if he ever met the right woman to even consider such a future. 

Sidney quickly texted the casting director to cancel his morning appointment with the writer as the children ran in and joyfully tackled him to the ground before he hit send.

*****

“What does one wear to meet a movie star?” Charlotte asked herself, surveying her limited options. As expected, Esther didn’t show up for their scheduled run and Charlotte ended up taking on the St. James to Hyde Park route that morning on her own. She was actually pleasantly surprised by Esther’s cancellation text. Apparently, Esther met up with Julia Beaufort at the bar and was rekindling that relationship. Even if it was just for one night, Charlotte knew Esther would be in a much better mood for weeks. Julia’s excessively girly behavior had a way of reminding Esther that she didn’t always need to be so terribly biting and critical and that it could, in fact, be fun to laugh and act carefree—at least once in a while.

Last night, with a large bowl of popcorn and a snoring Butter, Charlotte made her way through one of Sidney’s science-fiction films, which she had to admit was fairly entertaining. Alternatively, she only watched fifteen minutes of something called _Piccadilly Fields,_ which made her want to rip out her eyes. She managed to get her hands on four of his movies from the library and put her name on the request list for the rest. The librarian asked her if she was one of ‘Parker’s Posies’ and she had sent a reminder text to herself to look that up when she got to the office in the morning.

A simple long-sleeve auburn wool dress with brown boots seemed the best option for the day that would also keep her warm on the long combination walk and public transportation commute to the production office. She filled her travel mug with the last of the coffee, shoved her laptop in her bag, and gave Butter a pet goodbye with strict instructions to sleep, eat and jump on all the furniture while she was gone.

Charlotte was planning to revise the dialogue between a few of the characters in the first ball scene today so that it melded better with the now-complete musical score and would have rather done it at home so she could listen without headphones. At least she knew she would have a couple of great meals by going to the office. She couldn’t figure out how they could afford to have a high-end restaurant like Arthur’s stocking their breakroom, but she definitely wasn’t one to complain about delicious free food and was just happy the checks were clearing. 

Roughly an hour later, Charlotte plopped her bag down on her small desk and made her way to the breakroom to refill her coffee and see what yummy breakfast items were left from the morning’s rush. She settled on a yogurt cup with fresh berries and headed back to her desk. He’d be there in an hour—"that’s enough time to make some progress,” she thought to herself as she put in her earphones and smiled as the swirling music inspired her to transform her current dialogue into even more of a scathing tongue lashing between the two lead characters on the candle-lit balcony.

She had lived this story for most of her life and even with the stress and frustrations, Charlotte was absolutely in love with nearly all the ways her vision was starting to come alive. The music was amazing and while the sets were still underway, even in their current state, they were better than she could have ever dreamed. While her friends pined for Darcy when she was younger, Charlotte only ever desired the leading man that Jane never finished but that she created. She had rehearsed every scene with her imagined hero who, if she was honest, was a fantasy boyfriend for most of her life. In her mind, he was smart, strong, with a rough exterior because of his tortured heart, but was loyal and loving. In all the years she thought of him, she was never able to give him a face. But now her dream had the face of Sid Parker, who turned into a vampire in not one but two movies. Charlotte lowered her forehead to the desk and hit it lightly a couple of times, letting out a soft groan.

Lost in her own thoughts, she hadn’t noticed her movie star was a half-hour late. It wasn’t until she realized her coffee was out that she marked the time. After refilling her mug she thought it best to try to find him, but no luck, no one had seen him. It was now eleven and she was beginning to feel a combination of relief and frustration—relieved that she didn’t need to meet him, but frustrated that he’d so blatantly disrespected her time. Unfortunately, it was the frustration that was starting to take over and slowly spark anger.

“Did I miss him?” a clearly tired yet still striking Esther asked, leaning on the doorframe in her crisp white shirt and black pencil skirt with her red hair in a tight bun. 

Charlotte was not so secretly envious of how Esther could look elegant on just a couple hours of sleep and five minutes of prep. “Late night?” Charlotte inquired with a sly smile.

Esther returned the look with a smirk and blushed lightly, a rare sight indeed. “You need to get back out there, Charlotte—lots of fish in the sea.”

“Your ocean is much bigger than mine,” Charlotte joked as Esther was her first really close bisexual and out friend.

“Well, maybe you can throw in your line for that James Stringer of yours—sounds like he’s on the short list for the role of your young architect—or at least stonemason number two,” Esther said, motioning as if she was casting a fishing pole. 

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Solid actor—but not interested in anything with anyone.”

Esther smiled, “Not even your new lead actor? You seriously cannot deny that he’s a piece of cake.”

“Absolutely not,” Charlotte responded quickly, her brow furrowed in disgust as if Esther had just asked her to swallow bleach. “And you didn’t miss him—he hasn’t shown up yet,” she said closing her laptop. “Guess my time isn’t worth what his is—or maybe he’s busy with his personal trainer, or personal assistant, or personal chef or whatever. Or maybe clocks just work differently in the celebrity world.”

*****

“Well done! You were great, Jenny!” Sidney said as he swept her up for a hug. He could feel the eyes of some of the parents, especially the women and a few men, on him and wished he had made more of an effort to be inconspicuous. He thought he should have at least added a hat and glasses to his simple dark brown wool turtleneck and black trousers to better disguise himself.

“Thank you for being here Uncle Sidney,” Jenny said sweetly and placed a quick peck on his cheek.

“Always here for you, sweetie, now go and study hard and I’ll see you later tonight,” he said, waving to her as she walked with her class out of the assembly hall.

Sidney tried to make a quick escape but was quickly surrounded by several of the mothers looking for pics. He hated selfies since they always ended up on some celebrity site with a more than inaccurate description. Sidney did his best to be generous but was done when one mother whispered close to his ear that she’d “sin for Sid.” With that, he gave very short goodbyes and swiftly made his way to his car.

“Damn,” he said as he looked at his phone, suddenly realizing he never sent the text canceling his meeting. “She’s going to think I’m an incredibly arrogant ass.” Instead of sending another text, he decided to see if he could still find her at the office and apologize in person.

*****

Charlotte continued to work on the script, figuring she’d head back home after scoring lunch and seeing if she could snag a little something for Butter as well. 

A ‘Sid Parker’ alert from TMZ buzzed on her phone and a picture of him surrounded by a group of adoring women appeared on her screen. She saw the headline included yet another reference to him starring in an adaptation of a failed novel. Charlotte put down her phone and through clenched teeth uttered, “jerk.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Thanks for reading! Two quick notes—First, I may poke fun in this story but please know I am so in awe of these actors and Sanditon. Second, there is something wacky going on with the notes section on these stories and sometimes they appear, sometimes they don’t, and sometimes they seem to show up on the wrong chapters. It’s glitchy. Sorry about that!

It would take another ten minutes at best to get to the production office and Sidney was feeling a mix of excitement and dread. This was the first project he really cared about in years—maybe ever if he was really honest with himself—and had reread Charlotte’s book more than a few times finding it to be a fresh interpretation and continuation of Austen’s oeuvre. While his degree was in philosophy, he was an avid Austen reader believing her to be a brilliant moral philosopher who analyzed and taught a type of virtue ethics that he considered ageless.

When Sidney was in his final year at university, he thought perhaps he’d continue with his education with the hopes of becoming a professor. It was the sharp tug on his leash by his then-girlfriend, Eliza, that brought him with her to theatre school and that was that. Even though he was grateful for all his career had afforded him—travel, new experiences, access to amazing people—he most certainly worked hard for it. The strain of never truly being seen for who he really was or considered for the challenging roles he knew he could accomplish had started to weigh heavily on him. He was looking forward to finally playing a truly layered character and had made a lot of sacrifices for this project that he didn’t need Charlotte or anyone else knowing about—at least not yet.

Realizing he was driving a bit too fast, he knew he needed to calm his excitement but he had to admit he couldn’t wait to meet her in person and talk with her about her ideas and share some of his own. When Sidney researched Charlotte online, he became enchanted by her enthusiasm in her initial interviews about her work. It reminded him of the eagerness he had with his first film. He also recognized that look of defeat she displayed in the last interview with her that he could find on YouTube, when things were clearly not going as planned and she just wanted out. He’d been there as well and his stomach actually ached in sympathy for her—a rather strange reaction for someone he had yet to meet.

He imagined her experience may have been similar to his—being thrown into a world she didn’t know with everyone wanting to be your ‘friend’ and, in many cases, just wanting something from you. He knew he was lucky. While he most certainly made his share of mistakes, he had his family to lean on—even if they were often a cause of frustration, he knew he was loved. Sidney hoped she had that support in her life and he couldn’t and didn’t want to shake the feeling that he and Charlotte would work really well together.

As he parked his Range Rover, the dread started to take over. He didn’t want anyone working on the film believing the hype or treating him like anyone special. If they did, then they couldn’t work honestly with each other and it was so important to him that they could debate ideas and create something truly amazing. It was critically important to him that he could collaborate this way with Charlotte who he felt wrote such a phenomenal work that just needed some minor adjustments to bring it to life on screen.

The reality was that his reputation had been manufactured from day one by the studio making his first big film and it wasn’t a reputation he earned nor wanted. It seemed as if every word he said as well as every innocent look or touch was turned into something salacious in the press thanks to the public relations team, hence why he eschewed as much media—social and other—as possible unless it was for the good of the film and all the jobs tied to it. He hoped the recent press about him accepting the role would somehow bring some positive attention to the project—and may even benefit her novel as well.

With a deep breath, Sidney opened the car door and walked toward the production office to find Charlotte.

*****

“What the hell is this Esther?” Charlotte asked as she scanned her phone. She was feeling increasingly insulted that she had been stood up so he could apparently be flattered by his fans. She packed up a few sandwiches in her bag and was getting ready to leave to work the rest of the day from home when she remembered the librarian’s comment from yesterday and decided to look it up.

She flashed the screen to Esther who had been stalking her desk just in case there might be a Parker sighting, then quickly turned it back.

“Parker’s Posies—Poised to be Plucked,” she articulated every word. “It’s one of his fan sites—it says they have more than 100,000 members,” Charlotte said in disbelief, her eyes scanning through the images.

“Charlotte,” Esther tried to interrupt, but Charlotte continued her rant and amped up the volume.

“And there is this whole Twitter hashtag—#SinforSid,” she said with an exasperated huff. “There is an entire thread dedicated to his abs and another to his hands. And what is this thing on lava lamps—wtf! This guy isn’t an actor, he’s just a walking thirst trap! What were the producers thinking?!” 

“Why don’t we ask them,” Sidney said coldly as he stood in the doorway with his arms tightly crossed across his chest.

Charlotte exchanged a terrified look with Esther then closed her eyes tight, her heart pounding hard in her chest. “That’s not him, not him, not him,” she repeated in her head as she turned around and slowly opened her eyes and met his dark, piercing gaze. “Yes, looks can kill,” she thought to herself as she began to feel nauseous. Even so, she did not dare turn her eyes from his.

“Hi, it will be great to work with you. I’ll leave you both to get acquainted,” Esther said not stopping as she quickly swept past Sidney, making her escape.

Charlotte almost yelled “coward” as Esther left—she would most definitely throttle her later for such cruel abandonment.

They stood looking at each other silently as Charlotte tried to figure out how to write herself out of what most certainly was a fatal fumble. Sidney, on the other hand, did what he always did when disappointed and disenchanted. He mentally shoved every kind thought he had about Charlotte into an iron box and secured it with thick chains and a solid lock for which he threw away the key. “She’s no better than all the rest,” he thought, “full of assumptions.”

He inhaled deeply, his eyes still fixed on hers and his expression was one of annoyance. “I had a family emergency and came to apologize for this morning Ms. Heywood, but it sounds like you managed to use your time—productively,” he said with a condescending and cutting tone.

“Oh, I saw your family emergency. I didn’t realize you had so many…sisters,” she shot back without thinking and did it so rudely that she surprised herself.

He gave her a look of both confusion and denial, shaking his head slowly.

“Really? You deny it? Here’s a family photo,” she said, shoving her phone in his hand as she quickly grabbed her bag from her desk.

Sidney looked at the image and the caption then scrolled, seeing all the headlines she bookmarked over the last several months that mentioned his role in the adaptation of her “failed novel.” Even with all his anger and disappointment in this first meeting, he couldn’t control it—his heart sank for her after seeing her work repeatedly described in that way.

Charlotte snatched her phone back without a word and rushed to catch the next hackney that would take her away from him. She knew it wasn’t the level of maturity she aspired to, but there were far too many emotions in her all at once and she was certain that the best way to avoid any permanent damage was to leave as fast as her leather boots would take her.

Sidney stood in the doorway muddled; trying to bridge the chasm between his expectations of what would happen upon their first meeting from what just did. He shook himself out of his confusion realizing too late that perhaps he should have treated everything with humor like Susan keeps telling him to do instead of taking Charlotte’s words as a mortal insult. He quickly made his way to the office entrance just in time to see her enter the car and drive away.

“Talk or fight?” he asked himself then opted to dialed Susan. “Hey, it’s me. Do you have time to talk—I have French raspberry sables to offer.”

*****

“Shit!” she said to herself as she closed the cab door. Charlotte was not happy with the expense of her ride but she was happy with her plan for the night. After entering her apartment, she hunted for a bottle of wine and a glass. Butter welcomed her home with just a look as she laid snuggly in the one nice leather chair Charlotte possessed.

“If you need to go, we better go now because I have no clue what I’ll be like two glasses in,” Charlotte said, grabbing Butter’s leash. The retriever lept knowingly off the chair and was ready to do what was needed, understanding it could be a long several hours indoors.

In the cab to her flat, Charlotte had mapped out all the ways she could alter the script to punish Mr. Sid Parker and was spitefully looking forward to spending the evening with wine as she wrote. According to the production schedule, they’d be shooting at the beach when it was bitterly cold—the perfect time to add a scene placing him buck naked in the ocean. 

*****

Sidney placed his payment on Susan’s desk and fell heavily into the cushy chair across from her.

“Let’s start by centering yourself—take a few deep breaths and then we’ll get into what’s causing that clenched jaw,” she said as she opened the cookies which were the only form of payment she’d accept from the son of her long-departed friend. Sidney had reached out to his mother’s friend a few years ago. He needed help dealing with the pressures of living such a public life and while he found Susan to be something of a hippie, she was the only therapist he felt he could trust.

Susan took a bite of the crisp biscuit and signaled him to begin.

He detailed his morning with Tom and the fans at Jenny’s school then stopped to reach for one of the cookies, but Susan slapped his hand away.

“That’s all old news—happens every day. There is something different today. Tell me all of it and then you can have one,” she said with a grin as she enjoyed a second.

“I met the writer today and it really didn’t go as planned,” he confessed. “I kinda did the jump to anger thing versus looking for the humor. But in my defense, she did it as well,” he quickly added before he explained Charlotte’s assumptions and his reaction, smiling a little as he thought of how stunned Charlotte looked when she realized she was caught mid-tirade. 

Susan of course saw it, “what’s that smile about?”

“Nothing,” he said. “It’s just… she’s…I don’t know,” he stammered as he quickly seized a cookie before she could snag them away. “I guess I want her to know what I want everyone to know…that I’m more than what she sees….I don’t just want to be one thing. I can't be. I want to be brave…”

“Stop it with the movie quote. You can’t pull that with me,” Susan said with a scolding look. “Okay, you think about that and we’ll talk about it next time,” she said, glancing at her watch then putting the cookies in her desk draw. “What are you going to do about the current situation? You need to work with her—and you need to decide when you’ll be totally honest with her.”

“One step at a time—I’ll find her tomorrow and rewrite our first meeting,” he said.

“And…” Susan added.

“And if I get uncomfortable, I promise not to grab lines from my old films,” he smiled before giving her a quick peck goodbye on the cheek.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I hope you are having a great day :) Thank you so much for your support!! Here's another chapter. Hope it works :) Be well and keep safe everybody!

She was a couple of hours in and Charlotte had barely touched her first glass of wine. She was having too much fun rewriting her script to make the famous Sid Parker’s life a living hell. In addition to the now updated cove scene where he’d be standing soaking wet completely naked in frigid water with a full crew around him for hours, she also added what she considered to be other fun stings. She had trolled some of his fan sights with old press interviews and found he didn’t feel very confident on a horse, so she gave him several riding scenes specifying the horse to be a “large black stallion of superior size.” In one article he said he wasn’t a good dancer, so she added two intricate ballroom dances to the script—one with complex dialogue. 

Midway through writing a shark scene, which she conjured up after reading that he feared being attacked by a great white in deep open water, she had to stop herself. Charlotte looked at her computer screen, then to her book and over to Butter who gave her what she perceived to be a scowl of disappointment. “Even Butter knows this is wrong,” she said aloud as she started deleting paragraphs. Sid Parker couldn’t be all bad and she had to ask herself how she could even think of completely decimating a story that she spent most of her life working on.

She started hitting the backspace key in rapid succession but refrained from deleting a few of the scene changes realizing the revisions better reflected the intent of her novel. With a few additional tweaks, they would truly make it a better visual experience and, she believed, excite the viewer. Finally finishing her first glass, she reread the new pages and considered sending them to the executive producer. She had yet to meet the person who wrote her checks—all she knew was that she was required to send any script changes via email to exp@JAHJproductions.com.

A knock at the door followed by a lazy bark from Butter who didn’t bother to move stirred Charlotte from her computer. She padded her way to the door and smiled when she looked through the peephole.

“I brought an apology,” Esther said, holding out a bottle of sauvignon blanc in one hand and champagne in the other.

Charlotte gave her an exasperated look when she opened the door then grabbed the sauvignon blanc and walked back into her apartment as Esther followed. “So, I’m thinking you didn’t kiss and make up—tell me EVERYTHING,” Esther said as she uncorked the champagne then rustled around the kitchen looking for a glass.

She gave Esther an eye roll and a dismissive wave of her hand as she placed the new bottle of wine in the refrigerator then walked to her computer. “I’d tell you the play by play, but you pretty much saw it all. I actually have something more important I need you to do as a mea culpa for abandoning me,” Charlotte said, holding out her desk chair.

Esther sat with her full glass of champagne staring at the computer screen. “What now?”

“Just read,” Charlotte said.

Charlotte spent the next thirty minutes nervously watching Esther review each new line—gauging every reaction. Charlotte trusted Esther’s opinion and Esther was never shy to give it. Top of her class at university, Esther had her choice in graduate schools and jobs, but she just didn’t know what she really wanted. She was smart and confident but seemed to be unsettled and was always looking for that ‘unknown’ that would complete her or at least satisfy her for some substantial period of time. Charlotte cherished Esther’s passion and willingness to keep trying and exploring—occasionally hoping those traits would rub off on her a bit more.

Esther sat back and took a long sip of her champagne after ignoring it the entire time she read.

“Well?” Charlotte asked as tensely.

“Bloody brilliant…and it’s nice to see you’re using some of Parker’s assets,” she smirked.

“So to the executive producer then?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes! And I must be there when you film the cove scene,” Esther smiled, raising her glass to Charlotte.

*****

“So the kids are home?” Sidney asked Tom over the car’s Bluetooth. “And they’re fed?”

“Yes and no,” Tom responded breathlessly, the wild sounds of children laughing and crying at the same time making it hard to hear.

“I’ll stop at Arthur’s and pick up dinner—just keep them alive! Don’t worry, Mary is back tomorrow,” he encouraged.

“They’ll be alive, but I don’t know if I will be,” Tom said, his words followed by a loud rustling sound.

“Daddy has to go. He’s our prisoner. Goodbye,” Jenny said and ended the call.

Sidney felt a little concerned for Tom and wondered if Jenny even knew Tom was talking to him or if she would have hung up on anyone. He dialed his younger brother Arthur, hoping he could beat the evening rush for Arthur's signature high-end comfort food.

“Hey—I’m outside. I need the ‘Mary’s out of town’ special,” Sidney said as he pulled up to the restaurant’s valet.

“I’ll get it going, come on to the kitchen,” Arthur shouted above the clanking of plates in the background.

Sidney pulled a ballcap low to cover as much of his face as he could before entering the restaurant. It was well known that he was a partner in his brother’s eatery and after all the hassle that the TMZ alert had caused with Charlotte, he wasn’t looking to have any more social media postings that day from fans who might be dining there looking for a pic.

“Sit, sit,” Arthur said as Sidney entered the kitchen. Within seconds, Arthur placed a new buttered toast point appetizer with a butternut spread for Sidney’s sampling. “I’m thinking of adding it for the season—let me know what you think.”

Sidney gave Arthur a thumbs up as he took a second piece before finishing the first.

“Really, you eat like that and get to look like that…damn your genes,” Arthur said, giving Sidney a faux disgusted look.

Sidney shrugged. “Come running with me tomorrow.”

“Not going to happen,” Arthur smiled while he took the empty plate from Sidney. “You seem a little befuddled—what’s up?”

Arthur always had a way of knowing what Sidney was feeling and it wasn’t worth the effort to resist answering as Arthur would just continue to push until he got the information he wanted.

“I had a run-in with the writer today—it was our first meeting and it just didn’t go as I’d imagined,” Sidney said as he started to poke around the kitchen for more food.

“The whole reputation thing again?” Arthur asked.

“Of course—and I really just want this project to go off without a hitch. I’ve got a lot riding on this,” Sidney said, not needing to explain it to Arthur. Only two people knew his dual roles in the production—Arthur and Susan—the two people he trusted most in the world. He had turned down a lucrative role as the new Shadow in one of the comic book blockbuster franchises, choosing instead to follow his instinct and take on Charlotte’s novel as executive producer. He thought he had skillfully used the media to attract interest in the film by making his lead role consideration public—now kicking himself that it had actually hurt Charlotte.

“I don’t know why you just don’t tell everyone you’re the boss,” Arthur said flatly. “I’m in charge here—everyone needs to know their roles. You don’t see me doing the dishwasher’s job,” he said while literally washing Sidney’s plate.

Sidney grinned at the site, and upon realizing it, Arthur slowly released the dish into the suds.

“I’m not ready to tell people yet—I just want to get everyone in a really good working rhythm where we all bring ideas and it’s not just the producer making the decisions,” he said, hoping Arthur’s questions would end there.

“Totally not the truth,” Arthur teased. “It’s not the project that’s got you all tied up—it’s her. You’ve had a crush on that writer since page one of her book and you just don’t want to look like some obsessed fan. I mean it’s not like you tattooed her face across your entire back like that one woman did for you?” he asked, pausing for a moment. “Right? No, really, right?”

Sidney grimaced at Arthur, remembering how the woman lifted her shirt at one of his film premiers to reveal her devotion.

“All you did was launch a production company, option the film rights, hire her as the screenwriter, and are now hiding your role as her boss,” Arthur said, holding up a finger with each step. “That’s not obsessed fanlike at all.”

Sidney threw a kitchen towel at him. “It’s not like that. You read her book—it’s phenomenal and it’s the best start for the type of work I want to do. I don’t think the world needs another mindless violence movie or 20 more seasons of _The Fiancé_. My telling her or anyone else about my job as executive producer—I’m really, well, I’m just being prudent…”

“No,” Arthur interrupted. “This isn't prudence, it’s cowardice, plain and simple.”

“Did you just quote one of my lines back at me?” Sidney laughed.

“One of the vampire movies was on last night,” Arthur said, patting Sidney on the back. “Look, I’ll let it alone for now, but figure out how you feel. This is your first project with a production company you’ve dreamed of launching for years. You can’t keep your role a secret forever you know,” Arthur said, heading over to the cooks to check on the progress of Sidney’s order.

Sidney grabbed his phone and started scrolling through his emails stopping at Charlotte’s.

_Hi Ms./Miss/Mr./Mrs./Sir/Dr./Eminence/Other Executive Producer,_

_Attached are some script revisions that I believe would enhance the viewer’s experience as well as increase the understanding of the relationship between the two leads. Let me know what you think. Would welcome discussing in person!_

_Charlotte Heywood_

Sidney quickly skimmed the draft. “I’m surprised she left out the sharks,” he said to himself fully knowing what he told the media about his dancing and equestrian skills. And the cove scene, while much improved from the original script, he knew would be sheer hell for him to execute with their production schedule. He smiled wickedly as he typed his response.

*****

Charlotte sat at her computer hitting refresh on her emails. She knew it was silly to think the producer would read her work that night but she was both anxious and excited, and while Esther had been a distraction for a while, she’d left forty minutes ago to meet up with Julia.

She was about to drag Butter out for yet another walk when she saw an email land.

_Good evening Ms. Heywood,_

_Looks interesting. Now that Parker is signed, work with him on the new pages and see if you can get him on board with your changes. His number is below. Give me a status update on your progress in 24 hours._

_Thanks,_

_EXP_

Charlotte looked at the email, then to a sleeping Butter, then back to the email. She again dropped her head to her desk hitting her forehead lightly a few times. “Stupid, stupid, stupid. I should have seen this coming,” she said to herself as Butter awoke at the sound and leisurely walked over to her to commiserate.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you so much for reading and for the encouragement! I’m in a heavy work zone for a while so I apologize that I’m not able to respond much but please know your thoughts are great fuel and are so appreciated! Thought I’d get another chapter out there and see if it works. 😊 It may be a little too silly here and there—but it was a mood!

“How are your wrists this morning?” Sidney asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Tom gave him an exasperated look and pushed up his cuffs, displaying the red marks. “Why in the world would you teach them how to tie a constrictor knot? I really don’t think anyone under the age of ten needs to know that,” Tom said, shaking his head.

“Hey, I believe all children should know basic scouting and survival skills,” Sidney said, trying to hide a smile that Tom’s game of pirates with the children had gone most certainly awry yesterday.

“What is Mary going to think I was up to while she was gone,” Tom joked. “I’ll need you to explain things you know,” he said, holding his cup out as Sidney refreshed his coffee. “Actually, I’m a bit concerned with Jenny. She took this game a bit too seriously and the other children just got in line and followed her orders. We may have to keep an eye on that one. I’m a little terrified what we might get from her when she’s a teenager,” he said, flashing a concerned smile at Sidney.

Sidney nodded. He was fully appreciating this relaxed conversation about the children with Tom. Things had been tense over the past few years with Tom as his agent and then there was Tom’s continued disappointment after they parted ways in business last year. But they were family and neither of them wanted work and the past to separate them as brothers. While looking forward to sleeping in his own home that night, Sidney considered the two weeks they’d spent together ‘co-parenting’ was something of a gift from Mary.

Tom and Sidney sat quietly for a while, enjoying their coffee and the surely temporary silence of the house when Tom mustered the courage to ask, “how is the new movie going?”

They hadn’t talked about “the business” in nearly a year, and Sidney knew it took a lot for Tom to ask. “I’m expecting to hear from the writer today about some script changes,” Sidney said, half smiling to himself. All Tom knew was that Sidney was staring in the film and that’s all he needed to know for now as Tom didn’t have the best track record of keeping secrets.

“How is the casting for the other roles? Everyone getting aligned?” Tom asked.

“I think they’re almost there. A few key open roles are under negotiations, but I think they have a strong female lead almost secured if her other project can get pushed just a little,” Sidney said, honestly concerned about the state of that role.

Tom had something to say but wasn’t sure he should and was fumbling a bit with the handle of his mug.

“Tom? What’s up?” Sidney asked.

Tom looked up at him, “not sure if you want to know but thought I should tell you that I’m hearing rumors that Eliza is in the running for one of the roles, or at least her agent is campaigning the casting team hard for it.”

Sidney could feel the muscles in his neck tighten. Tom always had a great pipeline of information—that was one his best qualities as an agent. Unfortunately, Sidney had already heard the report from his team and what was killing him was that Eliza would be perfect for one of the primary characters. In fact, she was born to play it. The character was described as beautiful, duplicitous, opportunistic, and scheming—all words he learned, after their years together, perfectly defined her. The problem was that Eliza didn’t want that role. She had the lead in mind and considering that she was definitely talented and had a solid box-office draw on three continents, Sidney wouldn’t be doing his job as executive producer without at least considering her if his first choice fell through. He prayed that wouldn’t happen.

“You okay?” Tom asked as Sidney was clearly lost in his own thoughts.

“Yes—fine. Thanks, and thanks for letting me know,” he said, not wanting to think about Eliza today. Instead, he looked at his phone, wondering when Charlotte would call. “Hey—what’s your relationship with Roger at the stables like these days?” he asked Tom. “Have any favors you can call in? I’d like to set up something for today.”

*****

It was coming upon eight in the morning and Charlotte made that her deadline. She had gone back and forth for nearly two hours last night trying to figure out how to contact him. Text or call? Apologize or wait for an apology? Act like it never happened? Start a Twitter thread and seek advice from Parker’s Posies since they were international, were always online, and seemed to know everything? To Charlotte, they were like MI6, Mossad, Interpol and the CIA combined. 

When she failed to come up with any answers, she found herself stumbling around the internet trying to learn more about him, but she found it desperately hard to separate the truth from fiction. In one interview he came off as a total ass when he disparaged London in favor of New York, then it was a 180 as he appeared simply amazing in his support of United Nations’ efforts to help refugees—even doing voiceovers for their campaigns. The hardest video to watch though was an interview he did with the _Today Show_ in the U.S. The interviewers were horrible and the film he was promoting would turn out to be a box office failure. The look on his face was so pained as he tried to do his job to promote the project, and Charlotte could see he simply didn’t want to be there as all the reporters talked about were his looks—in fact, the weatherman was terrible creepy and followed him when he departed the set.

Charlotte found it surprisingly painful viewing it and was surprised that she actually wanted to defend him. She remembered what those interviews could be like. She shuttered when she recalled how one male host called her body, not her work, an R18 version of the Jane Austen aesthetic. She instinctively crossed her arms tightly across her chest when she recollected the exchange.

It got too late last night to either text or call him and she figured her run this morning would at least provide some clarity. It did not and she had no real path forward. “What should I do?” she desperately asked Butter who responded by rolling over and laying on her back awaiting a belly rub. “Seriously! That’s your advice? Just rollover! Not helpful,” she teased and gave Butter a minute of petting.

“Oh, grow up Heywood,” she said to herself as she picked up her phone and dialed his number, having absolutely no clue what she would say.

When she saw the connection, she didn’t wait for him to speak. “It’s Charlotte Heywood…I need to talk to you today about some changes to the script per the executive producer…What time can you meet this morning?” she said all in one breath, barely getting the word ‘morning’ out without gasping.

“Um, hi, okay. This is Tom, Sidney’s brother, one sec,” Tom said as Sidney finished tying Henry’s shoes. Tom didn’t bother muting the phone as he handed it to Sidney. “It’s something about script changes—she sounds a little, in all honesty, A LOT caffeinated.”

Sidney gave Tom a scolding look as he grabbed the unmuted phone. “Hi, this is Sidney,” he said trying to find a private place to talk as he walked out of the kitchen and into the nearby bathroom and closed the door.

Charlotte inhaled deeply, “hi, I have script changes that I need to talk to you about today. Do you have time to meet?”

“Sure. Why don’t you send me the pages and we can get together this morning. How about 10 a.m. at the production office?” he asked, hoping to erase their first meeting. 

“I neeeed to go!” Alicia started pounding on the door.

Sidney muted the phone. “Sweetheart there are four other bathrooms—please use one of those,” he said in his nicest voice.

“I’ll text you my email for the pages,” he said, quickly trying to put his phone on mute again.

“Sounds good, I’ll see you there,” Charlotte responded, believing she heard a child yell “but I like to pee in there in the morning,” before the call was ended.

“Okay, so I used the best outfit yesterday, what the heck do I wear today,” she asked herself as she reviewed her options. “You need to be confident and assertive—you need to be Esther,” she told herself and reached for a black skirt and white blouse. She glanced in the mirror and looked at her tousled locks. “That’s going to be a problem.”

*****

“Everything good with the writer?” Tom asked, giving him a suspicious grin.

“Yep,” Sidney said, quickly refilling his coffee cup. “So you good getting the kids to school? I need to go home before heading to the office to grab some other clothes,” Sidney said as he started heading up the back steps to the guestroom to retrieve his bags.

“Sure. And Roger can help you out anytime after eleven. Just text him at least thirty minutes beforehand. And hey,” he said, causing Sidney to stop halfway up the stairs. “Who is this writer that has you acting like you did every time your ‘girlfriend’ Belle used to phone when you were twelve years old?”

Sidney didn’t respond. He paused momentarily, looked back and smiled then took the remaining steps two at a time.

*****

Esther almost dropped the stack of headshots she was carrying when she saw Charlotte in what looked like an almost carbon copy of the outfit she had on yesterday except that Charlotte’s heels were at least a half-inch higher, and Esther had to be honest, Charlotte displayed a lot more curves. “If we weren’t like sisters—don’t go there,” Esther told herself.

“Morning,” Charlotte said, trying to be herself yet stronger, smarter, more confident, and commanding all at once. Basically she just wanted to be Esther today.

“What. Is. Up. With. This?” Esther asked, articulating each word as she reached to move Charlotte’s one stray lock behind her ear. Charlotte’s hair was pulled back in a tight chignon—so tight that Esther thought it must hurt.

Charlotte gave her an uncomfortable look and pulled her to the side of the reception area. “Okay, I’m trying to keep it together but I’m freaking out. I am meeting with Sid Parker in like ten minutes to go over the scripts.”

“And you decided to dress up as ‘sexy secretary?’” Esther asked, really looking forward to hearing Charlotte’s response.

“I wanted to exude confidence so of course, I took you as my inspiration,” Charlotte said, smoothing out her skirt. “No one knows how to intimidate like you do,” she added, most certainly meaning it as a compliment and Esther smiled, taking it as such. “I seriously can’t figure out how you move in this type of getup and I think my blouse shrunk on the way here. I swear it looked fine at home,” Charlotte said, pulling at her blouse to stop it from gaping inappropriately.

Esther almost wanted to—what she could only describe as—giggle at Charlotte. “You need to calm down. Take a deep breath, but not too deep because I don’t know if that button on your blouse will hold,” she said, not able to contain the giggle.

“This is not helping me with my confidence right now,” Charlotte said. “He’ll be here any minute.”

“I have some double-sided tape in my desk just for this type of thing,” Esther said as she looked over Charlotte’s shoulder. “Too late. He’s here.” Esther could tell Charlotte was seriously doubting herself so she grabbed her by the shoulders and leaned in close, looking her directly in the eyes. “You’ve got this. Don’t doubt yourself. You are more than equal to any writer or woman I know.”

Charlotte gave Esther a determined and thankful look and was about to breathe in deep but remembered the strained button. “Mr. Parker, glad you could meet,” she said, extending her hand.

Sidney appreciated the strong grip of her soft hand and forced himself to release it in proper time. A pang of guilt washed over him as he looked at her pristine outfit that seemed to praise every part of her as he stood in worn jeans and boots, ready to ride. But of course, she couldn’t have known what he had planned for the day. “Thanks for the call. I’m anxious to get going on the script,” he said. “I do have a few concerns though. Maybe we could find a place to talk?”

“Of course,” she said, tripping a little on her heel before leading him back to the breakroom where she prayed there was some coffee.

They each retrieved some beverages—she poured coffee into her to-go cup and he refilled his water bottle. She took a seat at the table and he waited for her to give a slight nod of permission before he took a seat next to her.

“Mr. Parker…” Charlotte started.

“Sidney, please,” he interrupted. “And I don’t know…” he began, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “But if you’re okay with it, how about we just agree that yesterday didn’t happen?” he asked, hoping she too might want to start again.

Charlotte’s face was a mystery with her brow furrowed but then she smiled, causing him to smile as well. They looked at each other for a brief moment then both looked away, feeling relieved and a little embarrassed.

“Well then, what do you think about the new pages? Did you have a chance to read them?” she asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

“I did—I like them. I just need some more information. I’m a fairly hands-on person. I really just need to experience what you’re looking for—what you want from me, I mean for your character,” he said, fumbling his words. “I thought we could start with what you’re trying to achieve or express by having me, I mean the character, do so much riding.”

“Well I think he’s a very solitary and noble man who bonds with those beings who have experienced the same loneliness and sense of duty as him,” she started, making each word up as she went along.

“I’m really fairly simple,” he said. “Why don’t you show me. I have a friend that has a _‘large black stallion of superior size’_ that I’m sure he’ll let us ride today so you can demonstrate what you’re envisioning.”

Charlotte looked at him, then glanced down at her skirt. “Sure, I just need to change,” she said, not really comprehending what she was signing up for.

“Great,” he said calmly, trying not to be overly enthusiastic. “We can swing by your place first so you can change. I’m happy to drive and you can explain your inspiration for the rewrites along the way,” he added, grinning to himself. While he was happy to forget yesterday, he still planned to have some fun with her new pages. 

“Sounds good,” Charlotte said as she stood up from her chair realizing she’d need to come up with some other reason for the changes beyond the simple pleasure of torturing him. This day was definitely not turning out as she had planned. Charlotte took a deep breath then froze as she heard the button from her blouse hit the table then bounce to the floor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW – I’ve had Charlotte’s wardrobe malfunction more than once. 😊


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading and for your incredibly generous encouragement. I am fairly confident that it's your support of the first five chapters which got me through this rather insane work week (hence apologies for not responding to comments and for any typos). Here is another chapter. I haven’t had as much time this week, so I hope it’s okay. I still plan on updating every 3-4 days. I like being around these characters—their drama is a great relief from work drama 😊 Keep safe and keep being kind to each other--hopefully, the entire world will follow!

Charlotte gripped her buttonless autumn wool jacket tightly around her for nearly the entirety of the ride to her flat, feeling utterly mortified. She knew better. Every time she tried to be anything but completely herself it always backfired in some humiliating or painful way. What she called her “Tom, Dick and Harry experiment” over three months last year proved that and she often ran through the facts after making the mistake again… 

  * Subject #1 Tom—Thomas Miles, Sr. Book Editor, _Evening Read_. 1.5 months. This dashing literati thought Charlotte as experienced and adventurous as her book’s sexually promiscuous character, Clara. He gifted Charlotte several tight dresses and she tried her best (and decidedly failed) to be his vixen. Charlotte walked away with a few public pictures of herself at book readings in ridiculously revealing ensembles. On the plus side, she gained her best relationship ever—his unloved retriever, Butter.
  * Subject #2 Dick—Richard Stern, Professor, 19th Century English Literature. 1.0 month. Middle-aged man who saw Charlotte as his protégée. Charlotte tries to become the new Kate Chopin while he becomes increasingly condescending. Charlotte walks away with wounded self-confidence and a hatred for arrogant men who have an obsessive fascination with anchovy paste. 
  * Subject #3 Harry—Thaddeus Henry, Drunk Poet. 0.5 months. Beautiful, young Lord-Byron-type socialite with lovely long hair. Charlotte attempts high-end partying for two weeks and ends up with a £1,727 bar tab charged to the one credit card her father gave her in university years earlier that she absolutely never used since she supported herself. Unfortunately, Thaddeus came upon it in her flat and it somehow still worked. Charlotte walks into a long, judgmental conversation with her father—or more correctly her step-mother—about her disturbing life choices resulting in an even more frayed relationship.



Charlotte let out an audible sigh after all those thoughts, wondering if Sidney had seen her wardrobe malfunction. “At least he’s not asking me about the inspiration for the script changes,” she thought to herself as she stole a quick glance at him. Sidney kept his eyes locked forward awaiting the next instructions from the GPS.

Sidney had most certainly witnessed what happened and the quick glimpse of what looked to be a white satin bra and the curve of what it contained was deeply etched in his memory. Definitely no novice, Sidney couldn’t figure out why he felt like everything was new and uncharted—filling him with the nervousness of a teenager—but he most certainly liked it.

Even though Susan had instructed him to find the humor in tense situations and he had come up with some rather cheeky lines that he thought clever, he felt that keeping his mouth decidedly shut was the best course and lowered his head so that Charlotte wouldn’t see the half-smirk he simply could not suppress. He waited for her to walk out of the breakroom before he picked up the button, thinking maybe they’d laugh about it later—much later from the rapid pace she took to retrieve her coat. For now, he thought that it was best to pretend it didn’t happen. That’s why when they got into his car he opted to focus only on the road after asking for her address.

A few buildings before Charlotte’s, Sidney lucked into a spot and nimbly parked, turned off the engine and hopped out. He stood with her door open before she even unbuckled her seatbelt. She gave him an uncomfortable smile as she tried to do a million things at once—grab her bag and hold her jacket closed while hopping off the seat of the SUV to the ground without tripping on her heels or letting her skirt ride up. “I am burning this entire outfit tonight,” she thought to herself.

It wasn’t until they reached the door of her building that she realized he intended to come up. As she fumbled with her keys, she uttered the first words she’d spoken in nearly a half-hour. “I have a dog who is really protective and can be vicious,” she lied.

“I love dogs,” he replied, smiling as he held the door open for her. “What’s the name?” he asked as he followed her up the stairs.

She thought maybe she should say ‘Killer’ or ‘Satan,’ but opted for the truth. “Butter,” she replied as she approached the landing and quickly walked to her door. “Be careful, she isn’t really one for visitors,” she said, hoping for once Butter would help her out. That was most certainly not to be. The moment Sidney stepped within the door frame, Butter was at his side then quickly rolled on her back for a belly rub.

As he knelt to pet her, it finally dawned on him that he had no invitation to be there and had most certainly imposed—not the most gentlemanly of moves and made an impromptu offer. “Why don’t I take Butter for a short walk while you change into something you can ride in?” he asked, spotting the leash on the hook.

“Great idea,” Charlotte said as she shoved a roll of poop bags in his hand and not so gently pushed him to the hallway, the door literally hitting him on the ass.

Charlotte leaned exhausted against the door and dug deep to find some source of strength. “Jane survived typhus, you can survive this,” she told herself and started pulling the pins from her hair. She quickly transformed back into herself and donned some jeans, an oversized wool turtleneck, paddock boots and a sturdy sports bra. “You are not going anywhere this afternoon,” she said, looking down at her chest. She rummaged through the storage closet to find her mother’s old riding helmet and hugged it to her for a moment before placing it in her bag. Her mother had been an avid equestrian and while Charlotte had learned the basics and loved horses, she wasn’t much of a fan of the elite crowd at the stables when she was a girl and stopped riding shortly before her mother’s death. She hoped at least some of her training would come back to her today.

A soft knock signaled Sidney’s return and Charlotte opened the door to see him again giving Butter belly rubs. “She did this the entire time—we’d walk some 50 steps and then this. Very vicious,” he smiled as he looked up at her.

Charlotte picked up then rattled the treat jar and Butter swiftly lept to her feet and sauntered proudly into the apartment. Charlotte leaned in close and gave her a treat whispering, “et tu, Butter?”

*****

Sidney opened the car door and enjoyed watching Charlotte leap confidently onto the seat, her now free hair catching the light of the noon autumn sun.

He didn’t wait to start the car before asking, “so tell me, what was your inspiration for the scene changes?”

She had started to feel this was a bit of a game with him and there was no way she was going to let him win so she put some thoughts together while changing. “Well, your character is in between two worlds and we need to show that while he isn’t a total brute, he isn’t a complete London dandy either,” she said authoritatively. “So that’s why we need scenes that demonstrate more of your, outlier status, for the audience. That includes scenes like fighting at the bar and helping when the old mason falls. I think the new scenes help your character be both more complex and sympathetic at the same time,” she finished, hoping he’d buy it.

Shifting his eyes from the road for a moment to look at her, Sidney tried to devise if she was serious and met her very matter-of-fact gaze. She didn’t blink and neither did he until he heard a horn and immediately realized he was starting to veer into the other lane.

Embarrassed, Sidney tried to conjure up another question about her inspiration when her phone alert stopped him.

“What the hell,” she said looking at her phone. “Sid Parker’s New Love?” was the headline and when Charlotte clicked the story it featured pictures of him with Butter in the park—walking, belly rubbing, and even one of him cleaning up after her. “They’ll be no living with her now,” she had to smile as she showed him the picture at a stoplight. 

*****

The smell of fresh hay brought back bittersweet memories for Charlotte as Sidney pulled up to the stables.

“Roger trains horses for films and television—he’s tops in the industry and has offered us two of his best horses so you can demonstrate for me what you’re looking for,” he said, with two objectives in mind. First, teach her that not everything on the internet is real. He wanted to show her that, while he wasn’t in love with riding, he had dealt with that fear years ago when he was filming a role in Albuquerque. Second, make her feel a little uncomfortable. He wanted her to know that it’s not as easy as it looks—banking on his confident assumption that she wouldn’t know what to do in the saddle.

After a few introductions and safety reviews, the grizzled trainer handed the reins of the impressive black Arabian, Mercy, to Sidney and those of a beautiful Azteca named Katy to Charlotte. “Oh and riding helmets, please. Did you bring your own?” he asked.

“One sec, it’s in the car,” Charlotte said and quickly retrieved it much to Sidney’s chagrin. She walked back in time to see Roger spraying a stable helmet with disinfectant before handing it to Sidney who grimaced slightly. “This actually might be fun,” she thought to herself as she donned her helmet and tightened the strap.

Sidney quickly mounted Mercy while Charlotte took a few minutes to connect with Katy, then saddled up and started for the adjacent meadow and woods with Sidney following behind. On and off for the next hour, it became a one-up competition, each trying to demonstrate what they could do—both secretly knowing it was probably more the well-trained horses than either’s ability. It was clear Charlotte was the much better rider though and Sidney was feeling a fairly distant second. He’d be more disappointed that his plan had failed if it wasn’t for the fact that she was simply beautiful to watch.

Sidney thought he’d give it one more shot to beat her and took off toward the ravine to leap across, yelling back “chicken?!” He focused on the ravine only looking back once to see Charlotte quickly closing the distance between them. Mercy and Sidney made the jump and he knew it nearly perfect. He turned to watch Charlotte’s effort, but all he saw was Katy in the distance, her saddle empty. His stomach turned, fearing Charlotte was thrown.

There was no way he could leap back across the ravine with so little space to run Mercy for the jump and made his way to a shallow area to cross while he yelled for Charlotte. It wasn’t until he finally made it to the other side that he watched her stumble up from the ground, and what looked like, whisper in Katy’s ear as she stroked her shoulder.

“I need to take her back,” Charlotte said, as Sidney approached. “She threw a shoe and can’t be ridden.” Charlotte grabbed Katy’s reins and began to lead her back toward the stables.

Sidney could see the mud and dirt on Charlotte’s clothes and wondered how hard she fell. “Wait, it’s a long walk, you take Mercy,” he said, about to dismount.

Charlotte started walking. “Absolutely not. How silly would that be? She’s my responsibility and I can handle it,” she said, unaware that she was wincing slightly with each step.

“Then hop up with me.” There was no way he was going to let her walk back the two or so miles with what looked to be a tender ankle.

“It’s actually not good for a horse’s back since your weight is in the saddle and mine would be behind it,” she said and kept walking, each step becoming a bit more uncomfortable.

“Then just sit in the saddle behind me,” he said, in the same challenging tone they had used with each other the last hour. He moved forward to make space and extended his arm. She would never turn down a challenge and handed the reins to Sidney as she planted her foot in the stirrup and he hoisted her up. Their bodies locked together and Charlotte was certain he could feel the shudder that went through her. She tried to sit back as far as she could, grasping the rear lip of the saddle to steady herself and pull herself apart from him but there was no room to be had—her hips and legs were pressed into his, her chest firmly against his back. She was confident he could feel every single breath and tried to breathe normally, which was becoming increasingly difficult.

“Ready?” he asked looking back at her.

She nodded, her hands now firmly gripping the back of the saddle so she wouldn’t need to hold onto him. That strategy didn’t last long as Mercy jolted forward and Charlotte found her hands gripping his sides.

“Sorry,” she said quietly.

“It’s quite all right,” he uttered, his mouth dry. He realized it was much better that she was riding behind him rather than in front considering what the feeling of her was stirring in him.

Charlotte let her hands encircle his waist and felt nothing but muscle, thinking she really needed to take a better look at all those Twitter threads about his abs. She removed one hand to pinch her own stomach and vowed to cut out the biscuits and add some weight training to her regime. As she returned her hand to his waist, she instinctively started to lean her head to rest on his shoulder, her cheek only millimeters away before she caught herself. “What are you doing,” she thought. “You need to distract yourself and now.”

“Have you always liked horses?” she asked--knowing full well he did not.

He appreciated her efforts to distract him from what were quickly turning into something of _Lady Chatterley’s Lover_ in the woods type thoughts.

“No,” he said, trying to shift his focus to his horse training and not the feeling of her thighs gripped around his. “I actually felt really uncomfortable on them in my first roles, but I decided to learn when I was doing a movie a few years ago.”

“So you became fearless around them—that’s what it seemed today,” she said in a way that Sidney interpreted as potentially a real compliment, which made him unexpectedly nervous.

“Becoming fearless isn’t the point. That’s impossible. It’s learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it,” he said without thinking.

Charlotte was silent. She had heard that before, and recently. After remaining quiet for several moments, she couldn’t resist calling him out when she realized where she heard it. “Isn’t that a line from one of your movies—you were playing a character named Five or something?”

Sidney laughed, “maybe. Guess I’m getting a little tired—things sometimes blend.” He didn’t care that she teased him—he liked that she clearly had watched the film and remembered him. He waited a few minutes before adding, “you know, after our time together today, I think I understand why having my character ride a horse versus sticking to only carriages is really important. I’m looking forward to it.”

Approaching the stables Roger met them and tended to Katy as Sidney dismounted Mercy then helped Charlotte down, hugging her body to his as he brought her slowly to the ground so she could gently put weight on her ankle. “Okay?” he asked, still holding her.

“Yes,” she said, somewhat breathlessly. “I think I may have just temporarily wrenched it a bit. It’s not swollen or anything.”

“That’s good—because I think we need to talk about those ballroom scenes. Day after next?” he asked, giving a challenging smile.

“You're on,” she said as they both extended their hands to shake on the deal.

*****

Charlotte stood at her desk, her hair still wet from washing away the smell of the stables. She couldn’t stop thinking about the fun she had and found herself smiling more than she had in quite some time. “Get it together! This is your job,” she said aloud, picking up her phone to provide an update to the mysterious executive producer.

_Good evening Master/Ms./Sovereign Executive Producer,_

_Mr. Parker is good with the horse scenes. Will have an answer on the others in the next few days. Happy to update you on those in person!_

_Charlotte Heywood_

Even with Katy throwing a shoe, Charlotte definitely knew round one was hers and had no intention of losing the next. She dialed Esther.

“Esther—I need a huge favor. You took ballroom dancing as a kid, right? Come over tomorrow. I’ll have wine….Yes, and champagne.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much again for reading—I’ll keep working at it!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks so much for reading and being so wonderfully kind! I hope some of this is fun and makes you smile. We will all get through this pandemic and we’ll get a season 2 to boot! Stay safe and be well! 😊
> 
> BTW apologies for any typos--crazy work weekend and can't see them as I should!

Sidney stood looking at an empty refrigerator. “Why would you expect food when you haven’t been here for two weeks?” he asked himself as he closed the door hungry and walked stiffly to the bathroom. It had been much too long since he’d ridden and every muscle in his body was twitching in protest. Epsom salt was his cure of choice—hopefully followed by a good drink and some type of food delivery. He ran a hot bath as he texted his sister, Diana, to confirm his plans.

_Hi – tomorrow still good for a refresher? 10 a.m.?_

He turned off the water, waiting for a response.

_Yes—all set. I need some lemon cake from Arthur’s—I’d get two at least—one for me and one for the instructor. And I love your new dog!! You could bring it! PLEASE!_

Shaking his head about Butter, he decided to leave out the dog…

_See you tomorrow. Love you. I’ll get three._

He placed his phone on the counter, undressed and slowly lowered himself into the hot bath. He reached to set the timer on his phone for twenty minutes. While he was typically too impatient to sit that long, he was determined that he would be so lithe and graceful that he’d most certainly beat Charlotte in their little ballroom competition. Even though she has bested him at riding, he felt he most certainly won the day knowing that she had watched his films and was clearly getting news alerts about him. A smirk crossed his face as the thought of her being a Posy ran through his head.

He looked at the time, knowing she should have responded to him by now and reviewed his EXP email. He laughed as he typed his response to her update. He had no intention of making it easy for her. As he pressed send, a text popped up from Arthur…

_When did you get a dog?! Uncle wants to meet the puppy!_

Sidney rolled his eyes and before he could respond, another text popped up from Tom…

_DOG! DOG! MUST BRING DOG HERE NOW!_

Quickly followed by another Tom text…

 _That was Jenny—she and all of the children would like to meet your new dog. Jenny would clearly like to see the dog now. She’s threatening the constrictor knot again if you don’t show up. Thanks again for that. Love you._ _😊_

“That dog is a star,” he said to the phone as he reached up and placed it on the counter and then completely submerged into the peace of the water.

*****

The mirrored walls reflected the gentle glow from the chandeliers’ white candles, creating the enchanted illumination she had long imagined for the Sanditon ballroom. Scanning the ethereal room she found herself alone—everything still and quiet. Sidney suddenly appeared at her side dressed in his Regency finest. “Charlotte,” he said softly as he bowed then held his hand out for hers. She hesitated but his eyes conveyed only the deepest trust and she slowly placed her gloved hand in his. The music had yet to begin, but she believed they could easily follow the rhythm of her rapidly beating heart. Sidney moved his hand from her upper to her lower back and pulled her close to him then lowered his lips to hers. Charlotte closed her eyes in anticipation and he licked her from chin to forehead. She opened her eyes to look at him and he whispered, “walk?”

“Augh! Butter,” Charlotte squealed as she blinked herself awake to the sight of a very energized retriever standing above her, desperate to get going on their morning walk. Dazed, Charlotte sat up quickly and gently pushed the dog away as the dream dissipated. “Really, REALLY!!!, I overslept three minutes and you’re already on me,” she said as she then nuzzled Butter close. “Ten more minutes,” she said and Butter quickly laid down, somehow always able to calculate just how long ten minutes was. “Best trick I ever taught her,” Charlotte said to herself as she padded her way to the bathroom.

“What was that?!” she questioned the mirror. Turning the faucet to the coldest setting possible, Charlotte splashed the water on her face trying half to ensure she remembered every moment of the dream and half trying to figure out why she had it. She instinctively opened the vanity drawer to check the expiration date on the box of condoms stored there and then stared at her reflection—“the fact that you’re even thinking about this makes it a bad idea. Stop it,” she scolded herself. “This is a job.”

After changing, she grabbed her phone and unlocked it, recalling her last search before bed— _Sidney Parker Dancing_. There were some fun and rather silly videos of him from what looked to be celebrity and Comic Con parties years ago, but there was one clip from a movie where he looked quite proficient at the art of the dance. Even though the dance wasn’t a waltz, Sidney definitely knew how to hold his partner. While Charlotte could move on a dancefloor, her repertoire was more about individual moves to house music versus intricate orchestrations with a partner. She realized she’d need a lot more practice and wondered if Esther could come much earlier than this evening.

Charlotte closed the browser windows of him dancing, then saw one of the pictures the Posies had posted that she had lingered on last night. It was of him on a boat, shirtless and wet in black bathing trunks. She was about to close the window, but before doing so, quickly saved the image to her pictures. “Oh Charlotte, not good,” she said to herself shaking her head.

Putting treats in her pockets for Butter’s walk, she opened her email.

_Ms. Heywood,_

_Solid progress. I suspect the other scenes will be something of an onerous challenge and it will take significant effort on your part to convince him. I look forward to regular updates. Good luck._

_EXP_

Charlotte’s stomach sank. What did the executive producer know that she didn’t? Butter was now by her side, anxious to head out. As she walked out the door, she asked Siri, “Find Ballroom Dancing for Beginners Instructional Videos.”

*****

“Thanks, Arthur, you’re a lifesaver,” Sidney smiled as Arthur placed three lemon cakes on the counter.

“And these,” Arthur said, placing a bag next to the cake boxes, “are for your new dog. They are homemade peanut butter biscuits—no preservatives. They’ll promote a shiny coat.”

Sidney smiled, audibly exhaled then shook his head.

“You know…” Arthur began then paused. “It would have been nice to know that I was going to be an uncle before the world did,” he said with a bit of a bite.

“That’s not my dog—it’s Charlotte’s. I was just doing her a favor,” Sidney said, taking out one of the biscuits and smelling it.

“So you told her that you’re the boss?” Arthur asked, smacking the biscuit out of Sidney’s hand. “For the dog, don’t touch.”

Sidney didn’t answer so Arthur continued to stare at him—that was his superpower.

“Okay, no,” Sidney broke. “Not yet. I will, I will tell her soon.”

“But things must be going better since, you know, dog walking and all,” Arthur summed.

“I think so,” Sidney tried to hide his smile. “Yes.”

Arthur started bagging up the cakes as Sidney remembered, “any chance you have some dark chocolate and orange macaroons for a friend?”

*****

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this Diana,” Sidney said, embracing her after placing the cakes on the early Regency-era dining table.

“Oh, I think this will be terribly fun,” she said. “Where is the new dog?”

“Was helping out a friend—not my dog,” he said quickly as he removed his jacket and hung it on the back of one of the mahogany chairs.

Diana quickly removed it and handed it back. “Coat rack, please. I have several actors from the _Downton Abbey_ sequel coming for etiquette lessons later,” she said, directing him to the back hallway. Diana was the industry’s preeminent authority on 19th and early 20th-century manners and her warehouse studio was full of varied sets from dining and living rooms to bedrooms and libraries all designed to help actors master the complicated etiquette of the time.

Sidney watched as she organized a few plates on the table and removed one of the cakes for tea party training later that day. “I love how you do all of this,” he said, looking around.

“You know me,” she smiled. “I do dream of a simpler world, as long as we can keep our trains and our dentistry,” she winked at him.

“Really Diana—why is everyone quoting lines back to me this week?” he asked, giving her a light, playful punch in the arm.

“Sonia and her assistant will be here shortly and are planning to teach you a couple of waltzes and a country dance,” she said as she looked him up and down. “But I can help you right now, doofus,” she said as she pushed back his shoulders and lifted his chin. “Posture, posture, posture—you’re playing a gentleman, not some barroom brute.”

“It’s actually a combination of both,” he joked.

Finally realizing his dance lesson request was somewhat cryptic, Diana asked suspiciously, “why aren’t you working on this with the choreographer of your new movie? I didn’t think your movie was even fully cast yet—why the urgency?”

“Just don’t want to start from square one,” Sidney lied and Diana kept looking at him in the same questioning manner as Arthur.

“Ah, Diana, lovely to see you,” Sonia said cheerfully as she glided into the room and kissed her on both cheeks. “Is this our subject today?” she asked as she surveyed Sidney. Diana and Sonia shared a knowing look, “you’re right, we have our work cut out for us. But don’t worry, Mr. Parker, you’ll be the beau of the ball in just a few hours—you have my word,” Sonia said as she unwrapped her red cashmere cape with a dramatic flair that only the best can pull off and handed it to Diana. She faced him, “commençons!”

*****

“Ouch! It’s one, two, three. Not one, two, three, FOUR, Charlotte,” Esther said trying to be empathetic but having a hard time understanding why this was so hard for Charlotte to comprehend after two hours of practice. She stopped and took a sip of her champagne. “Again, you need to follow me,” Esther said. “You need to be patient and let me guide you—that’s your role here. It’s the only way the dance works.”

“I don’t think it’s in my nature to follow,” Charlotte said, collapsing onto the couch. “I’ve been trying with videos before you got here and now…maybe I should just bow out. I can tell him the executive producer needs me to work on some pages or something.”

“That is not the Charlotte I know,” Esther said, extending her hand and pulling her up from the chair. “Come on. One more time. Close your eyes and imagine you’re with the one person in the entire world you want to dance with. Trust in him, wait for his cues, focus on his movements and he’ll guide you. Now, one, two, three,” Esther continued to count as she guided Charlotte around the small flat with Butter watching from the bathroom doorway to avoid being trampled.

“That was perfect,” Esther said as Charlotte opened her eyes. “Just keep imagining that person. And, by the way, who was it?” Esther asked as she walked back to retrieve her glass, expecting Charlotte's answer to be a lie.

“Just some actor,” Charlotte said.

“Oh, would that be Sidney Parker?” Esther teased.

“Of course not, um, Daniel Sharman,” she lied.

“Oh sure, like I believe that for even a second,” Esther gave Charlotte a sly smile. “Well, even if you’re not the best dancer, perhaps you can give him two left feet by stunning him,” she said, as she opened the garment bag she had secretly stowed in the hall closet upon arrival. “You’ll most definitely want something that twirls.” 

With one glance, Charlotte's confidence was restored. "Let's do this," she said. 

*****

Sidney was feeling both confident and nervous about tomorrow. While Sonia was a wonderful teacher and even said that he had earned the right to dance in any of her ballroom productions, he wasn’t sure if his head could be in the game. He had just learned that his first pick for the lead actress was most likely unable to make the filming schedule. She was such a great find—experienced in doing period dramas but with a fresh face that would certainly bring a new spirit to the Jane Austen world. He wouldn’t know for sure for a few days, but he knew he had to start seriously considering Eliza for the role, even though in his heart he didn’t think she was the right fit.

He pulled up to Susan’s office and grabbed the box of dark chocolate and orange macaroons.

They sat quietly for several minutes, each of them enjoying the cookies.

“Are you planning on talking or is this just a sugar rush session?” Susan asked as she put the lid back on the box of macaroons.

“I might have to do something I don’t want to do,” he started, looking down at his hands.

“Does it involve your lady writer?” she asked, reopening the box to quickly steal another.

“Yes. No. Yes, and no,” he fumbled. “Things are better there, actually starting to be really nice,” he said, looking up at Susan and smiling. “But I think they could become not so nice when I do this and when she finds out that I’m kind of behind the film,” he said.

“You’re not ‘kind of’ behind this, you are making it all happen and it’s a good thing,” Susan said, wanting him to be honest. “Tell me what the ‘this’ is.”

“I might need to hire Eliza to play the lead—it’s not certain yet—but you know…” he gave her a pained look.

Susan was all too familiar with Eliza and her abilities to manipulate and shape people, situations—the universe even—to her will and did not like the idea of her reappearing in Sidney’s life after all this time. “From what I’m hearing, it sounds like you’ve put yourself in an ‘either/or’ situation, my dear, when maybe it’s more of an ‘and.’ There may be other options right in front of you if you’re just open to seeing them and maybe asking for some help,” she said. “And telling your writer the truth sooner rather than later might be a good idea as well, Einstein,” she said teasingly as she considered taking one more macaroon.

Sidney looked at her and laughed at how obvious it was, realizing that asking for help may just be the advice he needed as well as the jab. He started to feel less nervous about tomorrow and quite excited about beating Charlotte at dancing. Her text was perfect timing…

_Info Please: What time? What dress? It’s so on, Mr. Sidney Parker!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for being so lovely! I hope at least some of this can make you smile a little and the chapter is okay. Been a very busy work time so again, apologies for typos as well as for the length—it’s the old Twain adage “I apologize for such a long letter - I didn't have time to write a short one.” Also, lots of references so I added some links at the end, but I’m fairly confident everyone is versed in the AO3 stories I mention 😊. Keep safe and thanks for being kind to each other!

“Go to bed, Charlotte,” she said as she pulled up the covers and clicked on another chapter. She planned to be asleep hours ago but made the fatal mistake of stumbling onto the Posies’ fan fiction site and had fallen into a deep well of stories featuring Mr. Sidney Parker as everything from an Antigua-based executive to racecar driver to a fireman—and so much more. Her most recent find was a story about a summer vacation where he was, well, a more than wonderfully attentive lover—he was a god. She felt like it was an instructional manual—better than the _Kama Sutra_ —and took several mental notes. “If even an ounce of any of this is true…,” she let her mind wander and kicked off the covers, immediately feeling very, very hot. “Glass of water and go to sleep…” she said as she ambled to the kitchen, “…after one more chapter.”

She stood in the kitchen thinking about some of the stories, somewhat, no, very jealous of the women in them. Charlotte lucked out to be one of very few women in the world who was both allergic to the pill and whose body rejected any birth control implants, so sex was most certainly a planned event. She wondered what such spontaneity would feel like. She didn’t know if she really needed to have sex on the top of a fire truck, or in a treehouse, or on a beach, or on a plane, but the idea that she could at any time, without preparation, was thrilling and she wouldn't mind trying. 

Remembering that she truly wanted to be well-rested for what she believed to be the _Strictly Come Dancing_ -type competition Sidney had planned—at least that’s what she assumed—she realized she really did need to get to sleep. Even though he wouldn’t be there to pick her up until three in the afternoon, she still had work to do tomorrow so she shut off her phone and reluctantly placed it on the kitchen counter. “I bet that girl in the summer vacation story is going to be really sore tomorrow,” she thought, then smiled as she walked back to bed.

*****

Sidney woke earlier than normal, and instead of contemplating his morning run, he was dressed and out the door without hesitation. He was looking forward to the day. First on his agenda was a meeting with his best friend, Babington, who he wanted to talk with about what he thought could be some crazy casting ideas. Babington was a silent investor in the film and had an uncanny way of finding new paths where others only saw a brick wall. After, he had some calls to make before what he considered the highlight of his day—completely schooling Charlotte at ballroom dancing.

After a quick shower, Sidney stood in his towel surveying his closet, calculating whether he’d have time to come back to change before picking up Charlotte. “Black is probably the way to go,” he thought as he grabbed his trademark black turtleneck and sifted through for his new wool trousers realizing they were still at the tailor's. He’d have to try to work that into his day as well if possible. Grabbing his coffee, Sidney readied himself for the long drive to Babington’s country estate outside of the city.

*****

It was always the same—every time Sidney drove though the massive gates he was simply flabbergasted that Babington’s family was capable of maintaining the home and had kept it in the family for nearly three hundred years. Babington had tried to talk him out of his wonderment years ago by sharing some of the not-so-noble things his family had done in its past, including some questionable relationships with liquor smugglers for nearly a century. But Sidney still was amazed and was thrilled they’d be able to use it as one of their locations for the film.

Babington was on hand to greet Sidney as he pulled his car into the porte-cochère. “Old man! I’m anxious to hear how things are going with the film. Come, breakfast should be ready,” he said patting Sidney on the back as they walked through the large oak door and into the main hall.

“When are you finally going to add your mug to the family gallery,” Sidney asked as they passed the centuries-old portraits that lined the walls.

Babington laughed. “No one wants to see that,” he half-joked.

Sidney hated when Babington was so terribly self-deprecating. He was a man who literally had it all but seemed to always be looking for a missing piece and Sidney had watched him search for it from the time they were boys—trying everything but satisfied with nothing.

After some pleasantries, Babington started in, “so let's at it. What’s this idea you want to discuss?”

“Right off, it may put us behind, but it may also create some really good publicity,” Sidney said, suddenly feeling more like Tom than himself with those words. “As you know we’ve been having a tough time securing the female lead and Eliza is interested in it. She would definitely be a name we’d benefit from if she was attached to the project,” he hated saying it, but it was the truth. “But she just isn’t right for the role. What would you think if we offered her the role of the former fiancée at her going rate, then had her be one of the people who helps us in our hunt for the new ‘Austen Heroine?’ It would be like the major casting calls of old Hollywood.” Sidney finished, looking at Babington with a mix of both fear and excitement.

Babington looked at him, trying to measure his words. “Do you really want Eliza anywhere near this project? I mean with your past…” he asked.

“I’m taking myself and my feelings out of it—it’s actually what’s right for Charlotte’s book, I mean for the film,” Sidney said, hoping Babington would ignore the slip.

“You must really like this Charlotte—and her novel—to even think of being in the same room with Eliza, and to give her a say in naming your lead,” he said.

“Actually, there would be four votes—you, me, Eliza and Charlotte. Eliza would feel as if she had some power, but couldn’t outvote us,” Sidney clarified. “And you know how much press she’d do about it. She’d look like she was building the next generation of actresses—women giving back to women. It’s one of her causes.”

“Even if it supported one of her supposed causes, why would Eliza take such a small role?” Babington asked his final question.

“Two reasons,” Sidney smiled. “Dame Judi Dench received an Oscar for being on screen for just eight minutes in _Shakespeare in Love_ , which is about the same amount time Eliza would be on screen here. And the second reason, you. If a peer of the realm, such as you are, asked her, you know her knees would buckle. She is desperate to be a Dame.”

Babington shook his head. “I hate to admit it, it’s a damn good idea—all of it. But I do hate you sacrificing your sanity by inviting her back into your life.”

“It will all be worth it, I’m sure of it. I’ll get you the details over the next week. I just have to tell someone about it first and get her buy-in,” Sidney said, rising to leave.

“Understood,” Babington nodded. “I’m in,” he said as he signaled his butler to fetch a to-go coffee for Sidney’s long ride back.

*****

Sidney smiled to himself as he drove away from the estate. Having Babington’s support was a great boost to his confidence and he excitedly dictated all of the things he needed to do into his phone—one of those things was, of course, figuring out how to tell Charlotte his “other” role with the film as well as his plans for the lead. A few accidents clogged up traffic, making the drive back to the city excruciatingly long and he tried to think of anything but being late for Charlotte. He even started to think about how he’d handle Eliza on set. He started to convince himself that perhaps he was being too hard on Eliza. “Afterall, that was years ago and since that time I’ve definitely grown and changed, why shouldn’t she as well?” he asked himself as he took a sip of the to-go coffee which promptly lost its lid and emptied a good portion of its now lukewarm contents on his trousers. He did his best to blot at the spill but to no avail. “The tailor’s it is,” he said, watching as the stain sunk in. He just hoped he could make it there and to the florist in time to pick up Charlotte.

*****

Butter watched from the good leather chair as Charlotte twirled in her cornflower blue silk dress that billowed just above her knees then smiled at the screen. “Thank you so much—it’s simply lovely.”

“It’s marvelously perfect!” Esther said via Zoom. “I knew our friends at the costume house could loan you something perfect for the occasion. I have to go but have fun tonight and kick his ass!”

Charlotte waved goodbye and waltzed her way to the bathroom to finish her hair, counting aloud, “one, two, three,” along the way. She still had nearly forty-five minutes before Sidney was scheduled to arrive, but she just wanted to enjoy the feeling of the fine silk of the dress on her skin. She tied her hair back loosely and considered herself done. While she might not have the skill to win, she definitely had the will and was eager to prove it.

She paced back and forth waiting for him to arrive as she reread some of the pages she had yet again rewritten. Originally, she had intended to send them to the executive producer that evening, but she felt something about them still wasn’t right. They seemed hackneyed. “When he declares his love for her, it needs to be original, not something you’d find in a standard rom-com,” she said to herself and tore the pages in half. “Maybe stop looking at it that way—what would she say to him?” she asked herself and quickly grabbed a pen and started jotting down ideas.

*****

He was pressed for time but now, thanks to the coffee stain, he needed to stop and see Julie Nunyab to pick up his black pants. One of, if not the best tailor in London, Julie ran a third-generation shop and had been the only woman beyond his films’ costume designers to measure his inseam. Sidney opened the door to her historic workroom and found her as he always did, surrounded by fabrics, creating something that looked rather spectacular. “Parker, your pants and I have been waiting for you. And what the heck is with that stain? Do you know how long those took to make?!” she questioned, exasperated, as she handed him the pants. “Go try them on and let me see.”

He quickly changed, realizing he had put on two different socks that morning. They weren’t terribly different, but they made him feel a bit off. While Sidney stood in front of the mirror, Julie stealthy dropped to the floor between his legs and her nimble fingers checked the measurements and smoothed out the creases. “Good?” she asked.

“Great. Thank you, you’ve saved the day again,” he said and put out his hand to help her up.

“I know I’ve asked you before, but Mr. Parker, you really should consider having me make you some leather pants. Not many men can pull that look off, but I believe you could,” she said, turning to show him some leather swatches. “You could bring them back in style—start a trend.”

“I’ll consider it,” he said, definitively shaking his head no at her as he picked up his keys.

Julie laughed and waved him away, committed to getting him into a pair one day.

*****

Charlotte was deep in thought and didn’t hear the knock. It was Butter who finally barked to alert her that someone was at the door. She hid her notes under her laptop and twirled one time for Butter who simply laid her head back down. “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Charlotte said, giving her a quick pet.

As she opened the door, Sidney had his hand raised to knock again. With one look it was obvious that Charlotte was playing dirty. She was clearly dressed for maximum distraction. While decisively demure, her dress lovingly embraced her shape while the high scalloped neckline displayed the curve of her collarbone in the most spectacular and sensual way. He was determined not to be swayed and planned to make a joke, but all he could utter was “beautiful. I mean, you look beautiful.” 

He was saved from saying anything further by Butter who thought it was her turn for attention and nuzzled against his leg leaving a trail of hair on his black trousers before rolling on her back at his feet for a belly rub.

“I’m sorry, your clothes,” Charlotte said as she tried to pull Butter away.

“No, it’s okay, she’s great. Here, this is for you,” he said as he placed a gardenia corsage on her wrist. “I know it’s old fashioned, but my mother always told me it was a requirement,” he smiled at her as he knelt down to pet Butter.

She looked stunned at the corsage then looked down at him with Butter. “This is really dirty of him,” she thought to herself. “Dressing like that, bringing my favorite flower, so kind to Butter—stay focused Charlotte. It’s your job to get him to do these scenes.”

He looked up at her again to see her with a furrowed brow and determined look. She realized he was studying her face. “Shall we be off?” she asked as she retrieved her coat and the treat jar to lure Butter away from Sidney.

“Oh, and these are for Butter—my brother made them for her,” he said handing her the bag of peanut butter treats.

She smiled at him and took the bag. “Oh, he’s good but not good enough to put me off my game,” she thought or more accurately hoped and closed the door.

*****

“Where is our battleground today?” Charlotte asked playfully as she fastened her seatbelt.

“You’ll see soon enough—all I can tell you is that the judges’ decisions are final,” he said as he picked off strands of Butter’s hair from his trousers.

“And who are these judges. Are they on your payroll?” she asked.

“Patience,” he laughed. “Why don’t you focus on telling me why all this dancing is necessary for the script and why my character needs to do so much of it—and deliver such complicated dialogue at the same time.” 

“Well, for single people during Jane’s time, a ball provided an opportunity to meet people beyond their own family and friends—you could say it was the internet dating of the Regency period,” she smiled. “And that’s when the waltzes were introduced, which were completely scandalous because for the first time ever a man and woman danced with only each other versus a big group,” she said excitedly. “They could actually talk and have a private conversation, unchaperoned, while they danced. But they had to keep it short or there would be gossip so their eyes really needed to say a lot. It created a closeness they could never have in public before and that’s how Jane really created intimacy with her lead characters. And really,” she continued without a breath, “it’s how people still create intimacy today. Just look at the modern wedding and what that first dance means and how everyone silently watches and…” she stopped suddenly, realizing she was rambling and most likely sounded like a fool. She took a deep breath. “And I think it’s really just important for these characters,” she said, smelling her corsage then smoothing out her dress.

“Ah, yes, well then,” he said finding her excitement both adorable and contagious. “Let’s see how this goes,” he smiled at her as he turned to park. “Come on, they’ll begin soon and we don’t want to be late.”

Charlotte was most definitely not expecting this as she tried to match his quick pace into the building. She still had her dream of a candlelit ballroom in her head, not the local community centre.

“Sidney! You made it,” an elderly and potentially tipsy woman with a French accent greeted him at the door.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Fifi,” he said giving her a kiss on the cheek. “I’m just so happy and thankful that you allowed us to join you today and that you will all give us your honest feedback,” he said, giving Charlotte a wink.

“Oh, most definitely, we are all ready for you, come and warm up with us,” she said as she reached out and laced her arm with Charlotte’s. “You must be our Sidney’s girl, yes?” she asked.

“No,” Charlotte said, looking nervously at Sidney. “We work together.”

“Let’s see how well you both work then,” Fifi laughed as she led her into the room of senior citizens who were clearly sizing her up as they assumed their waltz positions.

“Ready,” he asked, giving Charlotte the traditional bow.

“You’ve stacked the deck here, haven’t you,” she curtsied and then placed hers in his extended hand, catching her breath as she did. 

He gave her a smile then kept his eyes locked with hers as the music began and he led her in their first steps together. Charlotte fumbled several times, cursing silently with every misstep, but Sidney never spoke, he just kept her gaze and displayed a smile that seemed to tell her to relax and that he was simply happy to be with her.

As the music ended, Fifi approached them. “Don’t worry dear, that was just practice,” she said to Charlotte, giving her a sympathetic look, then whispering in her ear. “Maybe you should think about your posture a bit my dear—at least if you stand a little straighter and pull your shoulders back, you’ll get more of the male vote as well as Agnes’s over there.” Charlotte looked over to see Agnes wave at her from the refreshment table.

“Having fun?” Sidney asked with a mischievous smirk as Fifi left to talk with Agnes.

Charlotte repaid the look with a glare and took his hand again as the music began. Unfortunately, the second and third dances were no better than the first as she lost herself in the count and kept trying to lead. She had forgotten everything Esther said about needing to trust. Sidney ignored the mistakes and just continued to hold her gaze with that same tender smile.

“How about we sit out the next one and grab some punch? But be careful, if I remember correctly, it’s heavily spiked,” he said, leading her from the dancefloor. He wanted to tease her that his feet needed a break from her stomping, but he could see she was becoming too frustrated for jokes and the truth was, he could barely feel anything but honored to hold her in his arms. Before he could sit, one of the ladies asked him to dance and he knew he could not refuse.

Charlotte sat watching Sidney gracefully lead the blue-haired woman whose head barely reached his chest around the floor. She knew she was losing and she hated it.

“How long have you been learning to dance?” Fifi asked, sitting down beside her.

“I started last night,” Charlotte said, embarrassed.

“For a girl with no experience, I can see you’re being very hard on yourself. You can’t expect to dance as well as Sidney—he’s been doing this since he was a boy,” she said, giving Charlotte a pat on her hand.

Charlotte gave her a questioning look.

“He didn’t tell you? His mother and father were wonderful dancers. His mother actually used to volunteer here and ran this senior dance program for a while. He’d come after school with her and partner with all the widows who wanted to dance. They were all old enough to be his grandmother, and he was the perfect little gentleman,” she laughed. “I haven’t seen him here in years—since his parents passed. I figured he gave it all up. I was so happy to get his call earlier this week.”

They sat quietly for a while watching the dancers.

“Let this old woman give you some advice my dear,” Fifi started, both she and Charlotte watching Sidney. “The first time I danced with the man who would become my husband for more than fifty years, I was so worried about showing him how good a dancer I was, I stepped on his toes the entire time and all he did was look lovingly at me—the same way Sidney is looking at you now. When you go to him for the next dance, spend your time really looking into his eyes--trust him. Lose yourself in the dance. You might just see how much fun it can be.”

Fifi smiled at her and gave her a nod as she left to meet her husband for the next dance.

Charlotte stood as Sidney approached.

“Ready for another go? Or are you accepting defeat—get it, de feet?” he said pointing to his feet, hoping to make her smile at the goofy joke. He held out his hand to lead her to the dancefloor.

“I am,” she said, seeing him in a very new way. She placed her hand in his and looked into his eyes, “I am ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the dancing is not over...we'll get back to it with another chapter in a few days (work allowing!)
> 
> The AO3 authors are so talented! Here are the ones I reference in this chapter. I’m fairly confident these are all bookmarked by everyone already 😊
> 
> Rush https://archiveofourown.org/works/26019844
> 
> The Fire Station https://archiveofourown.org/works/25364779
> 
> Home is Where You Are https://archiveofourown.org/works/25884277
> 
> Single for the Summer https://archiveofourown.org/works/26289037


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Thank you for being so amazingly kind! I wish I could figure out how to bottle up that kindness for others who need it too! It most definitely is getting me through this tough work month. I’m sorry that work has been so crazy and that this is again long and late (and any typos!). I also apologize if this is a bit too serious in parts and too silly in others but hope at least some of it makes you smile or laugh and it comes off okay. Have a wonderful day 😊

Sidney led Charlotte back to the dance floor, questioning if he even should. The last few dances seemed to frustrate her much more than he intended. And while he did enjoy the fact that he was clearly besting her in their scrimmage, total humiliation wasn’t his intent, well, at least not any longer. That she said yes to giving it another go gave him some hope that he wasn’t showing up as a complete ass. He knew he had years of an unearned reputation as Sid/Sin working against him and didn’t need to give her any more reasons to dislike him. It was obvious she’d done her research and most likely had a decade’s worth of misinformation at her fingertips.

Being on that dance floor again brought back many poignant memories. Dancing was such an important part of his parent’s lives and losing them both within just months of each other was tougher than he admitted to anyone at the time or even now. He remembered, how as a teenager, he’d watch them dance, wondering if he’d ever find that type of love. For a while he thought he had, but it turned out to be a cruel and painful lesson in deceit. So, years ago, when the _Vanity Fair_ reporter asked him about dancing, it was much easier to say that he wasn’t good at it and didn’t like it instead of sharing what it truly meant to him.

Sidney was so caught up in their game when he conceived this torture for Charlotte, that he didn’t think of the emotions that would wake in him by returning to this place. He was pleasantly surprised at how much pure happiness he felt by simply being there. But what surprised him most was how right it felt that she was there with him. Sidney held his breath and waited for the music to start so they could begin again.

The music commenced and Charlotte did everything she could to resist the urge to lead, willing herself to just relax. Fifi’s advice was replaying in her head, but every time she tried to look into Sidney’s eyes, she felt that he would be able to immediately see that she had read all those stories about him and that she even woke up that morning thinking about him as a sexy archeologist. Instead, she tried to fake Fifi’s teaching by looking above his eyes and focusing only on his eyebrows.

“Charlotte,” Sidney whispered softly after she again missed a basic step. She lowered her eyes to his and Sidney gave her a confident look. “We can do this—just stay with me— or are you chicken?” he said and winked at her.

That was the challenge she needed and vowed that she would not be the one to break their gaze, she’d barely blink. All of a sudden, she could feel the cues he’d been trying to give her all along—the slight pressure of his fingers on her back when there was a change in direction as well as the gentle squeeze of her hand when they were about to execute a turn. It started to actually become fun and when they seamlessly made a complete rotation around the room, they both started smiling.

Little by little, dance after dance, Sidney started to introduce more advanced variations and Charlotte responded to his direction. It was far from perfect and there would certainly be some sore toes in the morning, but they began to look like two people who actually wanted to dance together and, even more, who genuinely liked each other. If they had bothered to look about the room, they would have noticed that they were the only ones on the dance floor as the others stopped dancing to observe and weigh their votes.

When the music ended, Sidney and Charlotte stayed in position, awaiting the next song, not realizing another waltz was not to come. “Well, your waltzing has much improved from when you started,” Fifi said to Charlotte as she walked up and drew them both back into reality. “As to the vote, you both have promise. Sidney, you are a scoundrel not telling this dear girl of your prowess with the waltz. And you, dear Charlotte, shame on you. I know you were looking at his eyebrows—when Fifi gives you a direction, you do it. Understand?” she scolded, patting Charlotte’s hand. “While Agnes and the boys gallantly fought for you, Charlotte, I’m sorry, but Sidney is the better dancer. My advice to both of you,” she took their hands in hers, “is that you need more practice together. You must come next week.”

Charlotte gave her a quick hug and thanked her and Sidney kissed her on the cheek. “We’ll try,” he said as they both turned to leave.

“Oh, you should stay, we have a few modern songs we like to cool down to,” Fifi said as her husband joined her on the dance floor.

“I’m not a very good dancer to that type of music,” Sidney said, as he continued to head to the door.

“Oh, so you walk away when I get a chance to even the score?” Charlotte started. “Maybe it’s you who are chicken this time.”

“Game on,” Sidney said as they both looked at each other, ready to win.

Neither would break their competitive gaze as they waited for the music to start. When they heard the first bars of the song, they burst out laughing and Sidney extended his hand and Charlotte happily responded. “Wonderfully modern,” Sidney said as he pulled Charlotte in then twirled her out.

“Yes, I guess it’s more modern than a 200-year-old waltz,” Charlotte laughed as she started singing with the music, _“Waterloo couldn't escape if I wanted to…Waterloo knowing my fate is to be with you..._ I love ABBA, _”_ she almost shouted and continued to sing.

Sidney loved how this all felt and couldn’t resist singing along to _Take a Chance On Me_ as they attempted exaggerated disco moves. Midway through _Dancing Queen_ , Sidney felt a tug on his sweater, stopped, and turned.

“Why won’t you let me see your dog? I really want to see it,” Jenny said, standing with wide eyes in her karate uniform.

Charlotte was in mid-twirl and looked back for her partner who suddenly stopped and was now kneeling on the floor talking with a little girl.

“Jenny!” Tom said as he ran to grab her up. “You can’t run off like that!”

Tom was followed close behind by Mary who had Alicia and Henry in tow—both of whom were dressed in their ballet clothes.

“Charlotte, this is Jenny, Alicia, and Henry. Jenny, Alicia, Henry, this is Charlotte—the dog is hers,” he said, giving Charlotte an apologetic look for what was to come.

“What kind of dog it is? What’s the dog’s name? When can we meet it? Is its coat soft? Do you have pictures? Can you send me pictures? Does it eat its poop like my friend Lydia’s dog does?...” the children surrounded Charlotte and were more than thorough with their questions. Charlotte did her best to answer the onslaught and finally handed her phone with pictures of Butter to Jenny so she could scroll through and refocus the children.

“Charlotte, this is my brother, Tom, and his wife, Mary. And this is Charlotte, she’s the writer of the film I’m working on,” he said half kicking himself for forgetting about the children’s classes at the Community Centre.

“Oh, I loved your book,” Mary said, taking Charlotte’s hands in hers. “And I’d love to hear about your plans for the film—I haven’t had a chance to catch up with Sidney on the role. Come, join us for dinner. We’re headed to the ‘family room’ at Arthur’s. Diana is meeting us too,” she said, looking at Charlotte then to Sidney.

“Yes, yes, you must – I want to hear about this story that has so enchanted my brother and hear how you got him dancing again,” Tom said, looking at Charlotte and patting Sidney on the back.

Charlotte smiled, while his family was most certainly welcoming, she was uncomfortable with the invitation and didn’t want to overstep.

“Hungry?” Sidney asked Charlotte. Nodding at the children, he added, “if you’re okay eating in complete chaos, I can assure you, the food will be great.”

“How could I refuse,” she said smiling as Mary began to gather up the children.

Sidney had just turned to retrieve their coats as Jenny held up Charlotte’s phone and asked her, “why do you have a picture of Uncle Sidney in his bathing suit?”

*****

The ‘family room’ at Arthur’s restaurant was a small, former storeroom that he had transformed into a private dining space for the Parker family. Having a meal with Sidney in the public dining room had become simply impossible years ago and there was still a fan site out there loaded with videos of him eating. The one of him consuming raw eggs was a top hit with over a million views.

Sidney helped Charlotte off with her coat then went to fetch a few bottles of wine for the table. Charlotte was relieved that the ride to the restaurant was a short one and she peppered Sidney with questions about the menu, desperately hoping he hadn’t heard Jenny’s question. She really needed to delete that picture. “Later,” she thought.

They were the first to arrive at the restaurant and Charlotte had the room to herself as she started to study the old family photos lining the walls.

“I’m sorry, there is a private dinner here tonight, can I help you back to your table?” Arthur asked as he breezed past Charlotte and placed an assortment of appetizers on the table.

Charlotte turned, about to explain, but once recognizing her, Arthur excitedly jumped in. “Oh, you’re her. Wonderful!” he said to a confused Charlotte, lacing his arm in hers. “Welcome, welcome. I’m so happy to finally meet you. I feel like I already know you head to toe. Let me show you the place,” and they disappeared into the kitchen.

Sidney returned to an empty room then noticed the appetizers on the table. He realized his mistake—he should have never left Charlotte alone. While he was confident Arthur would keep his secret about his true role with the film, there was no controlling the embarrassing stories he might share from their youth or even those from last month. He grinned mischievously remembering that he at least had something new to hold over her and needed to ask Jenny to describe that bathing suit photo to him.

When Charlotte and Arthur returned, the room was humming. Alicia and Henry were demonstrating their new dance routine for Sidney while Jenny seemed to be explaining the many benefits of having a dog to Mary and Tom. Upon seeing Charlotte, she quickly ran to her. “Can I please have your phone again, I want to show your dog to my mom—she simply doesn’t understand,” she said, holding out her hand.

Sidney interrupted. “How about we get you all some paper and you can draw the dog you want. I’m sure Charlotte can show us all of her pictures later,” he said, giving her a smirk.

Charlotte returned the sneer and looked for the picture on the far wall that Arthur had described. Pointing to it, she said, “so is that the picture you took at the beach right before losing your trunks in the waves in front of a vacationing senior church group? And Arthur mentioned another story where you…”

“Have you met Diana?” Sidney interrupted, not needing to hear the myriad embarrassing tales.

The evening was exactly what Sidney described—chaos with great food. The children were thrilled to try to one-up each other for Charlotte’s attention while the adults excitedly talked over one another, sharing stories and laughing. It reminded her a bit of the Heywood family table years earlier—but the Heywood house was much more chaotic as she tried to help her parents with her many younger siblings. She had her parents to herself for six years, before the several sets of triplets joined them. Charlotte didn’t want to think about that and closed her eyes tightly to push back the memories and any tears.

“Sonia wanted to know how the dancing is working out—did her refresher lessons yesterday help?” Diana asked Sidney.

Charlotte opened her eyes and looked at him with a grin. “What lessons?” Charlotte asked Diana.

“What does Heather have for dessert tonight?” Sidney asked Arthur, hoping to refocus the conversation and looking for something with chocolate.

Arthur let out a loud sigh, frustrated with the quirks of his pastry chef. “Ever since the first leaf fell, she’s been into pumpkin everything. It’s a damn affliction—but I will tell you the pumpkin spice gelato with cinnamon crumbles is to die for. Who’s in?” Arthur chuckled at the unanimous raised hands and solicited Diana to help him with the order.

“And can you add a box of chocolate pistachio cookies to go?” Sidney shouted as Arthur left the room.

“You really did well today you know,” he said to Charlotte as he poured her a cup of tea.

“Well, maybe if I had Sonia for a teacher…who knows,” she said, giving him a wink over the rim of her teacup. They were quiet for a moment. “Actually, thank you, it was fun,” she smiled, looking down at her cup. “I wouldn’t mind going again,” she added quietly, not looking at him.

“I’d like that,” he said softly.

“Mr. Parker,” Heather interrupted as she placed the box of cookies on the table. “We have something of an issue,” she said looking at Arthur.

“Sidney, please Heather,” he said smiling at her as he then opened the box to inspect her confections.

“I’m sorry Sidney, word got out that you’re here and we’ve got paparazzi at both the front and back doors and our diners who are already done with their meals aren’t leaving because they want to catch a glimpse of you—it’s backing up our reservations,” Arthur said, apologetically. “I ask Chad to get your car—it will be out front.”

“I understand,” Sidney said, pushing back his chair.

Charlotte began to follow, but Sidney stopped her. “I don’t want to besmirch your reputation and believe me, you don’t want any part of this exposure,” he said, clearly disappointed the night was ending this way. “Enjoy the dessert. Arthur will make sure you get home safe.”

Sidney quickly said his goodbyes and kissed the children then made his way out the door.

*****

“Pulsating pearl, pulsating pearl, pulsating pearl,” Charlotte repeated as she poured her tea, enjoying the alliteration. “I wonder how I might fit that into something Clara might say,” she asked herself as she picked up her phone to read another chapter. She had just settled into her leather chair and had come to a particularly steamy section when a text from Sidney popped up on the screen. Feeling like she’d been caught red-handed, Charlotte’s entire body blushed.

_Sorry about abandoning you. Thank you for sending Jenny the pictures of Butter—she is very much wanting to meet her. I’m in for the ballroom scenes. Let me know if you have time Friday to walk through the cove pages. Good night._

Charlotte had actually forgotten that’s what the entire afternoon and evening was really about—getting him to agree to the ballroom scenes. While still a bit miffed at the fact that he was most definitely the better dancer, part of her had started to feel warm and happy about her time with him, as if it was something of a date. Although she didn’t want to, she realized she probably should try to shake that feeling and fast.

“What are you doing Charlotte! You keep forgetting this is Sid Parker you’re working with, right?” she asked herself, trying to understand if “Sid Parker” even really existed. She flashed back to one of his movies where he, or rather his character said, “I’m whatever you want me to be.” She removed the corsage she had continued to wear and enjoy throughout the evening, placing it in the fridge. “Do you think he’s just playing a character with me?” she asked Butter, who was spread out across the kitchen floor snoring and failed to respond. “But he’s so great with his family. That can’t be an act, right? And why did his brother, Arthur, seem to know about me?”

She closed out of the Posy fiction site and went to her computer to email the executive producer.

_Grand Poohbah Executive Producer,_

_Mr. Parker is good with the ballroom scenes. I actually think we’ll want to add more. Will let you know about the additional scene in a couple of days. Any chance you want to talk this over in person?_

_Sweet dreams,_

_Charlotte Heywood_

She then worked on the tougher communication and picked up her phone to text Sidney. She wanted to tell him she had a wonderful time, and that she looked forward to dancing with him again, and she liked his family, and she was sorry he couldn’t drive her home, and how horrible it must be to live his life in such a public eye, and lots of other things, but decided professional was best and after fifteen minutes came up with...

_Thank you for the dinner and for agreeing to the scenes. Friday sounds good—let me know what time. Night._

*****

Sidney watched the cursor move indicating she was typing a text for at least fifteen minutes and wondered if she had actually taken that long to respond or if she was texting someone else. “Friday it is,” he said plotting out the day, thinking about how to tell her about his real role with the film and the potential plan with Eliza. He opened up his email and laughed at Charlotte’s newest salutation. He started typing his typical stoic response.

He wanted to get some clue as to what she was thinking about him and kept adding and deleting the last line. “Do you think you will work well with him? Do you think he’ll be a good Austen hero? What pictures of him do you have saved on your phone? Do you like him?” After typing that last one, Sidney put the phone down and ran his hand through his hair. “What are you, sixteen passing notes?” he asked himself as he picked up the phone to delete the line but the phone slipped and he mistakenly hit send. 

_Ms. Heywood,_

_Two out of three. Nicely done. Hope you can pull off a hat trick. Look forward to seeing some additional dance scenes and hearing an update soon. By the way, do you like him?_

_EXP_

Sidney dropped the phone onto the counter. “Shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay – I know I don’t have to tell anyone the stories referenced here as I think they are memorized by all of us 😊
> 
> The Rose -- https://archiveofourown.org/works/24129250/chapters/58093207
> 
> And I can’t find the link to Time of Discovery/An Egyptian Summer – not sure if she took them down! Sorry!!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi – thank you for clicking on another chapter and being so kind 😊. This chapter is one of those total “suspension of disbelief” type opportunities - um like all of them. Hope it's okay-work is crazy and this is just me having fun. Have a great rest of the week and keep safe and sane everyone!

“Do you like him? Do you like him? What the hell Sidney?!” he asked himself as he poured two fingers, which was more like three, of whiskey. He walked around the kitchen island clinking the ice in his glass. Every time he’d pass his phone, he’d refresh his email both hoping for and fearing her reply. Being unsettled by a woman—or anyone for that matter—was not a feeling he’d experienced for many years and as someone who liked to be in control, uncertainty was not something he really knew how to handle well.

“You need to stop this,” he said to himself as he refreshed his phone again. The email he received was not the one he was expecting, but it was more than enough to distract him from his earlier blunder. His head of casting, Emily, wrote,

_EXP,_

_Our top candidate for the female lead is officially out. Additionally, if we want Eliza for any role, we need to activate your plan now. I just heard they’re going to approach her for the film version of The Following this week. Let me know and I can put Esther into high gear on the casting call as soon as I hear back from you._

_Emily_

“Thankfully Emily never sleeps,” Sidney smiled, grateful he had someone so dedicated to the Sanditon project. He emailed Emily to launch the casting call and then quickly dialed Babington.

“Hey, what’s up,” Babington said somewhat loudly.

Sidney could hear the telltale din of what he wagered was either a gallery opening or some charity event.

“Sorry to interrupt your night but we need to accelerate our timeline with Eliza, can you get with her tomorrow?” Sidney asked, taking a sip of his drink.

“I can actually get to her right now, she’s here at this opening,” Babington said in now a more normal tone, finding a secluded alcove. “Have you notified the ‘special someone’ you wanted to yet about your plan or are we leapfrogging?”

“Just go ahead and talk to Eliza tonight—I’ll figure it out on this end,” Sidney resigned. “And don’t tell her anything about me producing this entire thing—she doesn’t need to know that.”

“Got it. I’ll let you know what she says—but Sidney,” Babington’s tone turned serious. “Are you sure you want to reopen Pandora’s box?”

Sidney took a deep breath before answering. “It’s the right thing to do for the film—and I’m sure we’re all older and wiser, right?”

“I hope,” Babington said and ended the call.

“I hope so too,” Sidney thought as he finished his drink.

*****

Charlotte was dressed for her run a good half hour before she even needed to even get up. Butter gave her a look then rolled over and went back to sleep, indicating that she’d take her walk after Charlotte’s run. The dress she wore the day before hung from her closet door and she ran her fingers over the silk, smiling at the memory of Sidney doing his best to dance to ABBA and thinking he wouldn’t be a total embarrassment at a wedding. “What the…how did your brain go there?” she asked herself as she programed her phone and put in her earphones as the first bars of _Lover_ began.

It was an uneventful run, except for the fact that she had to regularly pull herself from thinking about Sidney—she even stopped midway through to shut off her music as her mind thought about how they’d dance to whatever song was playing. It was an early call from Esther that gave her a much needed, yet unwelcomed distraction. 

“Are you okay?” was Charlotte’s first question.

“Yes, yes. I just wanted to tell you to ensure you wear your ID today—we’ve already got actresses lining up and I just put out the call an hour ago,” Esther said excitedly. “It’s actually working!”

“What’s working?” Charlotte asked as she stretched in front of the door to her building.

“The open casting call—for the lead role. Didn’t you know?” Esther asked. “I thought for sure the executive producer would have told you and also that we’ve secured Eliza Campion for the role of the ex-fiancé.”

Charlotte was quiet and thought to herself how risky it all felt—first Sid Parker and now potentially an inexperienced actress playing Austen’s final heroine. At least she thought Eliza Campion was a good fit. “No, I didn’t know,” she said softly, suddenly feeling as if she had very little control over anything. She tried to quickly shake the feeling and focus on what she did own. “I have an idea for a scene I’d like to test with you today if you have time—it should only take a couple of minutes.”

“I’m sure I can find a break sometime today,” Esther said quickly. “I need to go now but text me when you get here—and don’t launder that dress, just bring it back. They have a whole process. Oh and one last thing…don’t think because I’m busy that I don’t want to hear every little detail about last night, Every. Single. One.”

Charlotte slowly took the stairs up to her flat as she scrolled through her email finding one from the executive producer. “Maybe he did give me a heads up,” she thought as she opened it. She read it quickly. “Really, no mention of this casting cattle call,” she said aloud then stopped dead in her tracks. “Do you like him? What the heck is that supposed to mean?”

*****

“Hi Charlotte, so I have some news. We’re going to try a crazy idea and cast a really wide net to try to fill the lead role of your novel that means so much to you. Oh, and I’ve hired my ex-girlfriend to play a pivotal character—and she’ll get to help pick the lead. One more thing, I’m actually executive producing this entire film so I’m technically your boss—which isn’t weird at all. Yes, I’m the one you’ve been emailing and, yup, I also forced you to spend time with me to torture you for the scenes you wrote, which were actually really good. By the way, do you like me?” Sidney gently hit his forehead against the tile as the hot water streamed down his back. “That doesn’t sound crazy at all,” he said to himself as he tried to put all of those things into some kind of speech for Charlotte. “I’m screwed.”

The late-night text from Babington confirmed that Eliza would take the role and was excited to work with them on selecting the heroine—as she told Babington, she considered it her ‘duty’ as a subject of the realm. She had one condition, she wanted to meet with ‘Sid’ today and ‘talk.’ With that text, the fact that Charlotte still knew nothing about any of this, and the update from Emily that there were already more than 100 actresses lined up and down the halls of his production offices for first looks with the casting team, it was most certainly going to be one hell of a day.

*****

Charlotte held up her ID as she tried to push through the forest of slender and willowy actresses who had at least five inches on her. “Nothing like coming to work feeling like a troll,” she said quietly to herself. After Esther’s call, she toyed with the idea of working from home to spare herself from all of this, but she needed to return the dress and she really wanted to get Esther’s take on the new scene so she tied up her wet hair and just threw on some old jeans, her weathered Doc Martins and a big wool sweater and headed for the Tube.

She tossed her bag and coat onto the top of her desk and took off to the breakroom in search of coffee. How to respond to the executive producer was the problem running through her head. She had a mental list going—she liked how Sidney danced, how he was with his family, how at dinner he took out his phone and showed her pictures of baby James who was home with the nanny, how he helped her off Mercy when Katy threw her shoe, how he was with Butter, how he looked in his bathing suit, how his body felt when she pressed hers against it—that last thought took up most of her commute as her mind recalled far too many Posy stories.

Walking into the breakroom, she laughed to herself as she imagined writing, “EXP, Mr. Parker seems like a good actor, seems like a good person—actually seems like a perfect person. Below are links to some stories you should read—I’ve starred the ones that are explicit. Start with those.” 

Seeing Sidney was most certainly not on her day’s agenda so when she stumbled upon him getting coffee, she became acutely aware of how she must look in comparison to all the gorgeous women lining the office and also prayed that he was in no way telepathic considering all of her morning thoughts.

“Hey, I wasn’t expecting to see you today,” he said, his smile broad and bright even though all of the variations of what he needed to tell her were quickly running through his head. “Again, sorry about needing to abandon you last night.”

“Not at all—sorry you had to go through that. Your family is really sweet and Arthur sent me home with enough leftovers for Butter that she’ll eat for days—she’s becoming even more of a diva,” she said, reaching for the coffee. They were both quiet and Charlotte felt she needed to fill the void. “I wasn’t planning on coming in, but I wanted to run through some script changes and I needed to return my dress from yesterday—Esther’s friend at the costume house lent it to me,” she said, not really knowing why she went into such detail.

“It was very nice, I mean you looked nice,” he said, gazing down and smiling as he recalled how beautiful she was yesterday. He kept staring at his mug, knowing he needed to come up with some way to tell her everything. “Do you have time later today to…”

“Mr. Parker,” the office assistant Zara interrupted them. “We just got word Eliza Campion has arrived and she’s on her way up.”

“Yes, of course,” he nodded to Zara, knowing that she was too good at her job to leave without him. “So I’m assuming you’ve heard,” he asked Charlotte and she nodded. “Excuse me, I need to go.”

“Tomorrow—the cove?” she asked.

“Yes, it’s a bit of a drive so how about I pick you up about eight tomorrow morning—I have another stop in mind as well that I think you should see—it will help with the script,” he smiled at her and turned to talk with Zara as they exited the breakroom. “Zara—I know you’re busy but can you do me a special favor. Can you please call the costume house about a dress?”

*****

Sidney looked through the one-way glass wall at the waiting area. There were most certainly many “Emma’s” and “Elizabeth’s,” but there was no one there who looked like his Sanditon heroine and his stomach was beginning to ache. Upon hearing “Sid,” the ache got worse. He turned and gave Eliza the best smile he could muster. He knew this would be the toughest acting job of his life as he walked to her and kissed her on the cheek—experiencing the same dead feeling he did when he kissed the cheek of any of the talk show hosts who had no desire to actually discuss his craft and focused only on two things—the total gross of the film and his abs.

“It’s wonderful to see you again, Sid,” she placed her hand on his arm and looked him up and down. “I’ve really missed you.”

“Sidney, please Eliza,” he said, with a weak smile. “Call me Sidney.”

“Oh, you’ll always be Sid to me, love,” she took his hand and led him to sit with her at the conference table.

“When Babington talked to me about the importance of this role—even invoking the revered Dame Judi Dench—I knew it was fate for us to reunite here and now,” she said, still holding his hand. “You know, I’ve never forgotten you, Sid,” she whispered. “I’m sorry for all those silly things we did and perhaps, this film can help us find our way back to one another again.”

Sidney looked at her and exhaled, pushing down every angry word he wanted to say about the silly things supposedly “they” had done, thinking only about the good of the picture and making it successful for Charlotte. “Perhaps we can be friends again,” he said, pulling his hand away as he stood. “For now, if you like, you could observe some of the first looks. One of the best assistant casting directors, Esther, is across the hall talking with some of the actresses. She may be on a break now, but you can at least get a sense of the talent when she starts back up,” he said walking toward the door. “Access to the private observation room is to the left.”

“Maybe you and I could read lines next week?” Eliza said, following him to the door.

“Maybe,” he nodded, reluctantly adding, “it’s good to work with you again.” The words tasted horribly bitter in his mouth, but he was committed to making this work. The ache in his stomach lasted long after he left the room and he started to question if he had the acting skills to pull this one off.

*****

Esther sorted the one-sheets into two piles and the “Pass” pile was much higher than the “Keep.” Exhausted, she picked up her phone and texted Charlotte who had been pinging her about running through her new scene.

_I need a break—come see me, I’m in room B_

A few moments later, Charlotte was at the door smiling. “Thank you, Esther, I know you’re busy. I just really need your opinion and want to get these pages to the executive producer as soon as possible since it may require a set change,” Charlotte said, a little nervous. “How are things going?”

“It’s been tough—I’ve seen nearly fifty actresses and they are more _Pride and Prejudice_ or _Sense and Sensibility_ , definitely not _Sanditon_ ,” Esther said. “On the positive side, I managed to get the numbers of eight of the most beautiful ones, including Laura here,” she handed Charlotte the headshot. “She was in the video for _You Need to Calm Down_ ,” she winked proudly at Charlotte who was simply amazed at how easy flirting came to Esther. “Now where are these pages that you’re so hot about?”

“Okay, so we’re friends, right?” she asked a little nervous, waiting for Esther to nod. “I’d like to act it out with you to see what you think. So don’t freak out when I touch you,” Charlotte said, standing up and motioning Esther to do the same.

“So this is all a trick to kiss me. I totally expected this,” Esther laughed, taking a seductive pose.

“No, really,” Charlotte said, being more serious than Esther had ever seen. “This is what I think our hero needs to say to really express himself and I need to know if this actually works. I think this scene is crucial to the entire film. Okay, so you start…your line is… ‘I thought you would have left with her by now.’”

Esther gave Charlotte a thoughtful and committed look. “I thought you would have left with her by now.”

Charlotte began, “She’s already left. I decided against joining her. On reflection, I realised I would rather be here.” Charlotte stepped closer to Esther. “I am a great deal less than perfect. You’ve made me all too aware of that,” she said, looking deeply into Esther’s eyes. “But for whatever it is worth I believe I am my best self...my truest self...when I’m with you.” Charlotte placed her hand on Esther’s cheek then lovingly kissed her softly on the lips. She lingered for a moment and stepped back. “That is all.”

Esther looked at Charlotte, dazed for several moments then threw her arms around her. “I love you,” she hugged her tight. “That was so great,” Esther said. “Holy cow, I am seriously hot for you now. But I’m sure not as much as Sidney was for you yesterday when he saw you in that dress. Is that what’s inspired the new lines?”

Charlotte blushed at Esther’s comment. Little did Charlotte or Esther know they were being watched. Eliza had entered the observation room just moments before Esther said her first line and turned off the intercom after Esther said she loved Charlotte.

“She is absolutely perfect for the role,” Eliza said to herself, reflecting on the scores of runway-ready actresses outside who she firmly believed Sid would find attractive. Eliza knew that in order to win she needed to eliminate any competition—and winning Sid Parker back was most certainly what she intended to do. “She is definitely not Sid’s type, she’s gay, and she’s in a relationship—who cares whether or not she can act—she’s perfect. Sidney will be all mine.” Eliza snapped a picture of Charlotte through the glass with her phone and committed then and there to make her Austen's newest heroine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😊 Thank you for reading! I’ll keep trying to make the next chapter better.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for reading. I’ve said it before, but wow, work gets in the way of writing! A quick mea culpa – I’m referring to something I quickly referenced in Chapter 4 and probably should have made more of it at the time, but I tend to pull stuff forward. Sorry if that seems tricky. Warning, I’m fairly verbose in this chapter for some reason—just couldn’t help myself, I guess. 😊 Have a great weekend!

Charlotte sat at her desk looking at her new scene, still excited from Esther’s reaction and, to be honest, amazed at the softness of her milky skin. She really needed to find out about Esther’s face cream as well as if she used a lip exfoliator. Looking up from the screen, Charlotte studied the striking women leaning against her doorway waiting for their turn with the casting team. It was hard for her to imagine any of them really embodying the character or saying the lines she’d written, but she tried to push herself to have faith. After all, wasn’t that was acting was all about—becoming something you’re not. She was even starting to think that the vampire/action hero better known as “Sid” would actually do fairly well as her Austen hero.

She attached her new scene to an email then froze. “I can’t send this without responding to that weird question, can I?” she asked herself, fairly frustrated with this secretive executive producer. When she was feeling rather cheeky one night early on—and to be honest, had nearly three glasses of sauvignon blanc in her empty stomach—she tried to see if she could incite some reaction, maybe even a phone call, by being silly in her email salutations. She failed to get any bite and even though she had been mortified the next morning when she recalled doing it, she found it was something of a thrill to be so sassy.

After a few minutes of deliberation, she decided the best approach was to use the finest deflection technique she knew…questions.

_Commandress/Commander, Executive Producer Extraordinaire,_

_I decided to take another look at the love declaration scene—I think the attached will work much better. We’d need to weigh the benefits of having the kiss to demonstrate the passion of the characters with accuracy to the period, but I think overall it will be a more fulfilling experience for the audience. Note: This would change the declaration from an exterior to an interior shot._

_Regarding your question, can you explain what you mean? Is there a specific answer you’re expecting? Do YOU like him?_

_Happy to discuss in person!_

_Charlotte Heywood_

To celebrate the scene and her wily response to the executive producer, Charlotte decided to head to the breakroom to find something chocolate from Arthur’s catering but turned around midway. Walking through the gauntlet of the alluring actresses lining the walls combined with the thought of Sidney’s sinewy physique made her reconsider her afternoon snack.

She opted instead to print out the pages for the cove scene and pack up her things. It was probably better for her self-esteem if she limited her exposure and made a mental note to work from home when they had casting calls in the future. She slipped on her coat and reluctantly picked up the garment bag with her dress from the night before—she couldn’t put it off any longer, it needed to be returned. Shuffling her way down the hall she found Esther focused on headshots at her desk and laid the dress on the adjacent chair. “Thank you. I think it’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever worn,” Charlotte said wistfully. “Good luck with the rest of the actresses. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Wait—I got a text about an hour ago. They said you can keep it. Apparently, they don’t need it back,” Esther said. “I guess it’s your lucky day.”

*****

_Mr. Parker - It’s done. Let me know if you need anything else—anything at all. Zara_

Sidney read Zara’s text and hoped that perhaps Charlotte would wear that dress again the next time they danced—that is if there was a next time after he told her the truth tomorrow.

Sidney hid from the throngs of actresses in a back office reviewing some of the “Keep” pictures from Emily on his laptop. He only selected two so far from the forty she sent, feeling that even those were a stretch. Once he had at least a dozen, he figured he’d get Babington, Eliza and Charlotte more involved. The ache in his stomach was progressively getting worse. Too many things were feeling out of control and he needed to clear his head of the chaos that he knew, this time, he caused for himself. His first instinct told him to talk with Susan, but he knew what she’d say, he didn’t want to talk about why he hadn’t yet done what she had instructed, and, most importantly, he had already eaten most of the chocolate pistachio cookies he had picked up for her from Arthur’s last night. A long swim at his club seemed like a much better option.

About to close his laptop, he elected to quickly check his email before heading out. “Well played, Ms. Heywood,” he said to himself as he read through her “non-answer” questions and thought how, with every interaction, he seemed to see a different and interesting side of her. He quickly read through the scene, then read it more slowly, amazed by her insightful writing. She had so effortlessly captured exactly what he wanted—to find someone he could be his best, truest self with. At that, he closed his laptop and headed out for his club.

*****

Charlotte opened the door to a very happy Butter. It seemed the dog had shaken off her morning malaise and was all about playing, walking and eating—and wanted to do all three at once. Charlotte safety stored the dress in the hall closet, took a quick smell of the gardenia corsage stored in the fridge, and then leashed her excited beast. After a solid hour of activity and being asked twice if Butter was Sid Parker’s dog and if she was the dogwalker, she headed home.

She wanted to spend her night reviewing the cove scene so she could prepare for any torture that might await her. She checked the temperatures at every sea-side town within driving distance and considered a wardrobe of a warm sweater, jeans and her wellies was probably the best approach, especially if he had any thoughts of her stepping into the chilly water. “Would he go so far as to need a dry suit?” she asked herself, wondering who she might be able to call for one on such short notice.

When she thought about the time she’d spent with Sidney, it hadn’t actually been the torture she’d originally expected. In fact, it was the most fun she’d had in a while. The two days riding, dancing and dining with him had far surpassed all her time with Tom, Dick or Harry combined because—apart from her silly attempt at their first “official” meeting when she tried to be like Esther—she could actually be herself. She toyed with the idea of throwing a few condoms in her bag for tomorrow’s trip and then chastised herself for even going there. “Next thing you know you’ll be buying a Mrs. Sid Parker t-shirt from the Posy Etsy site,” she laughed at herself.

Charlotte transitioned to her email—hitting refresh a few times, surprised that the executive producer still hadn’t responded to her pages. “Maybe the scene change costs too much,” she thought. Then she started to consider her overall response—did she finally cross the line? Was she being disrespectful? She closed her eyes thinking about how many times she’d sent emails to this anonymous person and started to get frustrated, not really caring anymore if she appeared rude.

When she first started working for the production company, she did her best to research it, but all that came up was a fairly sterile website. Since the checks cleared and people at the office were nice, she could let the eccentricities of this executive producer pass. Now, with her pouring her heart out on these new pages, she felt it was ridiculous that they hadn’t met or even talked on the phone and she decided it was time to make her feelings known.

She typed in the address—exp@JAHJproductions.com—then stopped as Butter nuzzled at her hand, the universal sign that she was in desperate need of a treat. As she handed her one of Arthur’s peanut butter biscuits, she started to ponder the coincidence that Sidney’s brother catered the breakroom of the company producing his film. Out of curiosity, she googled the restaurant’s website and didn’t see any hint of catering as an offering. “You’re being silly,” she told herself and shook her head as she remembered that she really needed to delete that photo of Sidney in his swim trunks, thankful that Jenny hadn’t shown it to the entire family. Turning back to her email, her eyes focused on the address. “That would be crazy—JAHJ productions—Jenny, Alicia, Henry, James,” she said aloud, half in disbelief. “That’s a really big jump, right?” she asked Butter, who believed she was offering another biscuit and sat up quickly at Charlotte’s side.

Thinking back to the night before, she ran through the entire evening. Arthur was most certainly jovial and treated her like an old friend. Then there was Tom, who again, seemed to at least be familiar with her—she considered whether he could be behind JAHJ, but he seemed too boisterous and loud to ever really be able to keep a secret. While Mary enjoyed the book, she didn’t seem too interested in the film industry. And Diana was definitely in love with her work, displayed perfect manners, and couldn’t see her up for any deception. Then there was Sidney who challenged her at every go, and, from what she’d experienced to date, he clearly knew how to deceive—his dancing and riding prowess were proof of that as was the seeming contradiction between his Sid/Sidney persona.

“You have no proof. Stay calm Charlotte—you know where your assumptions always take you,” she told herself as she closed her laptop. Easier said than done, as she started to feel like maybe she’d been just some amusement for the infamous Sid Parker. “Cool down,” she told herself as she plopped on the floor next to Butter and rubbed the dog’s belly, thinking it would distract her. No, instead she spent the rest of the evening plotting ways she might ‘out’ Sidney tomorrow. She absolutely was not going to let him win at whatever game he was playing.

*****

“Coffee with milk—I think that’s what you had yesterday at the office. I hope I got it right,” Sidney said as he motioned to the holder with two steaming cups of coffee. “I figured it’s something of a long haul to our first stop with traffic and I know I needed the caffeine today,” he smiled as he closed her car door and waved at Marj, a fellow writer and Charlotte’s neighbor, who was watching Butter for the day and had insisted on following Sidney and Charlotte to the car.

Charlotte gave her a wave as well. Butter would barely let Sidney out of Charlotte’s flat, falling dead at his feet for a belly rub and at one point it looked like Marj was ready to do the same—she could barely peel her eyes from him. Charlotte took a sip. “Damn,” she thought, the coffee was perfect as was his attire that matched hers—jeans, heavy sweater and wellies. She sat up tall and recommitted to not let herself be swayed by any of his charms—she was on a mission and vowed not to just beat him but decimate him at his own game. 

“What’s the first stop?” she asked cheerfully, thinking she should first put him at ease.

“It’s a surprise—one I think you’ll really like,” he responded, shifting the Rover and heading out.

They sat quietly for a while and Charlotte decided to start with her questions.

“You know, you never told me how the executive producer finally won you over. I mean, why would you want to take such a risk with your career to do an unknown adaptation of such a failed novel…,” Charlotte started, only to be interrupted by a call over Sidney’s Bluetooth.

“Sorry,” he said and answered the call from Arthur. “Hey, you’re on speaker—Charlotte’s here with me,” he said quickly to avoid any compromising comments from Arthur.

“Hi Charlotte! Did Butter like the food?” Arthur began, completely ignoring Sidney.

“Yes—she’s even more spoiled now. And thank you for a lovely evening and the stories about your brother,” she said, giving Sidney a look that declared she had a lot of information and that she wanted him to know that she did.

“I’m sorry to interrupt…whatever you two are doing…but Sidney I need your help—it’s about the deal to license my tomato cream sauce. They are really pushing for an answer and I promised I’d give some directions to the lawyer today,” Arthur said as Sidney gave Charlotte an apologetic look.

After some forty-five minutes, Charlotte grew tired of the two brothers hashing out the pros and cons of the deal. She had tried to provide an objective perspective, but most of the discussion was about getting Arthur emotionally okay with the deal and Sidney was masterfully bringing him around.

“He is very persuasive. I bet he always gets what he wants,” Charlotte thought as she turned to look out her window. The trees were displaying their best autumn golds and reds and Charlotte rested her head against the glass, watching the colors blend. Her mind wandered to a couple of Posy stories about road trips and one in particular about a Thanksgiving drive in the states with some very exciting car sex. “What the hell Charlotte, this is not what you are here for,” she thought and sat up quickly, so quickly that even Sidney looked at her as he continued to explain the benefits of the deal to Arthur.

“Augh, why does he need to be so handsome,” she thought as he looked at her. All of the fictions seemed to be swelling in her head and she was having desires she didn’t want to have and needed them to stop and now. She closed her eyes remembering some hybrid turkey/Sidney gif one of the Posies had posted and yes, that did it—all her desire was gone. She only focused on her mission to get him to tell her the truth.

“You’ll be great, Arthur, I need to go. Love you,” Sidney said and quickly hung up. “Sorry about that Charlotte. We’re here.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened as she took in the grandeur of the 18th-century estate. “Is this yours?” she asked in disbelief.

“God no,” he laughed. “It belongs to my friend Babington. He’s a genuine Lord and an investor in the film. He’s letting us shoot here. I thought it might be helpful for you to see the place—I know I always love coming here.”

Too amazed with the surroundings, Charlotte missed her opportunity to question him further as they pulled up to Babington who waited for them outside and quickly hopped in the back. “It’s supposed to rain later so I thought we’d start at the river where we can film the regatta scene,” Babington said, then extended his hand to Charlotte. “Rude introduction I suppose,” he said. “Sorry about that, you must be Ms. Heywood.”

“Charlotte,” she said and awkwardly turned from the front seat to shake his hand.

“Love the book and what I’ve seen of the screenplay as well. Call me Babington, everyone does,” he smiled then directed Sidney to a narrow road.

The three of them spent the next two hours walking the grounds with Babington giving them the history of the estate—throwing in as many of the bawdy details as he could. “I have absolutely no idea what the hell they were thinking with this—I’m guessing at one time this was the Sodom and Gomorrah room,” he said as he motioned to the large mosaic snake on the floor of what was now a sitting room. 

Both Sidney and Charlotte looked at each other and simultaneously said “Clara and Edward right here,” then laughed as they continued on the tour of the house.

“The plan is that once we have the entire cast in place, we’ll have the leads come and spend a few days here and really get immersed in the era,” Babington said, as he started to lead them out.

“Oh, is that what you and the executive producer have discussed?” Charlotte questioned and watched as Babington shot a quick look at Sidney.

“We better get going,” Sidney said as he opened the car door for Charlotte who started to feel even more confident that her assumptions were correct. On the ride to the cove she was looking forward to turning the screws, albeit, she was having some feelings of gratitude after seeing how much thought he had given on the location for the shoot and really, for putting everything in motion to give her novel some chance at a second life.

After a few minutes of chatter about the beauty of the estate and how it truly was everything she imagined when she wrote her novel, Charlotte decided to have some fun. “Even with that amazing location, I’m really wondering if I can stick with this project. I think I need to consider bowing out,” she said, keeping her eyes on the road ahead.

She could feel Sidney look at her and she tried not to smirk.

There were a few awkward moments of silence as Sidney ran through everything he said and did over the past few days trying to determine what could have caused this before he simply asked, “why?” He gripped his hands tightly on the steering wheel as Charlotte took her time in responding.

“I’m just really concerned,” she started and looked out the side window and remained silent.

Sidney was getting impatient, and the ache in his stomach from yesterday was quickly returning. Everything he’d done over the last year from optioning her novel to hiring Eliza was flashing through his mind. “Why are you concerned?” he asked as calmly as he could.

“Do we really even know who we’re working for?” she asked. “Someone who is so reclusive must have something terrible and potentially disgusting or even illegal to hide,” she turned to look at him. “How am I supposed to respect and trust someone who isn’t forthright?”

Sidney wouldn’t look at her, his stomach was churning and he was trying to figure out a way to tell her as he turned off to a side road to the secluded cove. 

“For all I know this person could be a complete pervert, a social pariah, even a Harvey Weinstein for all I know,” she said with a bit of exaggerated flair, watching a bead of sweat form at his brow. “But you probably know this person, right? You wouldn’t be so foolish as I was to blindly sign away your freedom. But again, I was pretty much at the lowest part of my life when this executive producer came along and I would have agreed to anything. So maybe that’s what he or she does, they find vulnerable people who really have no choice but to agree and that’s when they take advantage of them—I have no idea what to expect from this nameless person—it’s terrifying to even think about it,” Charlotte turned to look back out the window, afraid she was a bit too mean but she did enjoy watching him squirm.

As he pulled to the end of the road, he put the Rover in park and turned off the ignition—trying to recall his plan for the afternoon, knowing it was all a wash.

“Oh, this is beautiful,” Charlotte said as she opened her door. She turned to smile at him, feeling more than a twinge of guilt at how befuddled he looked but mentally checking off that she had most certainly won this round.

Her sweater was definitely not enough to stave off the bitter cold. As she grabbed her coat from the back seat, she asked, “coming?”

Sidney sat with his hands on the steering wheel, watching as Charlotte made her way to the beach. “Great, now she thinks you’re not only an outlier but a pervert and a villain. Well played Parker,” he said to himself as he reluctantly got out of the car. He tried to rehearse something in his head to explain that he was not what she thought—but simply couldn’t get the words right.

“So what do you have in mind Sidney?” she yelled to him as he slowly walked to the beach. “Is this where you challenge me to go into the frigid water and show you what I’m thinking for the scene—at least I came prepared,” she smiled lifting up her leg and pointing to her wellies.

“Sure,” he said rather weakly, welcoming more time to try to figure out how to come clean.

Charlotte went as far as the height of her boots would allow and turned to look at Sidney, who appeared even more puzzled than before. “Come on—you need to come closer,” she shouted. “You know they don’t bellow the lines.”

Sidney walked close to the shoreline as Charlotte tried to steady herself in the water, her toes starting to throb. “Okay, maybe I should have made him come out here first—he’s next though,” she smiled to herself, but that smile didn’t last long as she lost her footing and stumbled a bit, letting water flow over the tops of her wellies, thoroughly soaking her legs. Within seconds, Charlotte felt her feet leave the water as Sidney lifted her up and cradled her in his arms.

“Are you okay?” he asked, looking at her as he held her tight to his chest.

She was stunned at his quick response and took a few moments to answer. “I’m fine, just clumsy,” she said breathlessly, feeling as if she had just entered one of the Posy stories that had more than taken over her thoughts that day. She signaled to him to release her but he held firm.

“Please don’t abandon this project, Charlotte,” he said, stumbling for the right phrase. He could feel himself becoming increasingly nervous and clung onto the only words he had within reach, “I believe I am my best self...my truest self...when I’m with you.” 

Charlotte’s eyes pierced at his and Sidney realised that he had just outed himself—only the executive producer had that script. He took a step to the shore and tripped on a submerged rock, sending Charlotte out of his arms and into the freezing water. Completely dry, Sidney steadied himself and leaned to help her up, but she swatted him away and awkwardly stood, dripping wet from head to toe and shaking from the cold. “I knew it was you! SIDNEY PARKER, YOU ARE A COMPLETE ASS!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again—we all know these, but here are two great stories with epic road trips…
> 
> The Price of Love https://archiveofourown.org/works/25438978/chapters/61697326
> 
> Country Roads https://archiveofourown.org/works/25953322/chapters/63087202
> 
> BTW, Laura, I didn’t publish your comment because I didn’t think you wanted your AO3 name published. Thank you for the nice note! Have a great day!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi—thank you for reading and for your incredible kindness. You have no idea how much your encouragement means as it’s always terrifying to push the publish button! A short little chapter to get us where we need to go. Have a great day and please stay safe and healthy!

Sidney watched dumbfounded as Charlotte sloshed her way up the beach and passed the car with a determined stride, looking as if she was planning to walk back to London. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He was more than a bit annoyed that she had been intentionally torturing him with her talk about leaving the project and was trying hard to follow Susan’s advice to find the humor. “Well, she’s quite the actress,” he said to himself as he slowly made his way out of the sea to the beach. He quickened his pace as the rain Babington predicted started to lightly fall and was relieved to see Charlotte double back to the car.

“Damnit, my bag,” Charlotte remembered and hastily returned to the Rover. Shivering, she grabbed her purse, gave Sidney an angry look, and took off again down the road.

“Charlotte,” he yelled, trying to remain calm as he opened the liftgate to look for a blanket. “We’re in the middle of nowhere and the rain is only going to get heavier.”

She stopped and looked up at the grey sky, knowing he was right but not yet willing to give in. “I’m already wet, so what does it matter?” she yelled back and resumed walking.

“Charlotte! Don’t be stupid. Come on,” he shouted.

“Seriously, stupid?! Now you’re calling me stupid,” she yelled back as she turned to face him. He was nice and dry under the liftgate and she was standing in the rain that was increasing from a drizzle to a steady stream. “Stupid, may just be the appropriate description,” she thought to herself and she reluctantly returned to the car.

“Here,” Sidney said as he started to remove his sweater.

“No, I don’t want anything from you,” she said, throwing her purse into the back seat.

“You can’t sit in those wet clothes all the way back—don’t be st…,” he almost said it again. “Stubborn,” he corrected. “Look, if you won’t take my sweater, why don’t you throw your wet clothes in the back and wrap yourself in this while I put on the seat warmer,” he said, handing her the thick wool blanket.

Charlotte was so cold that the blanket looked like heaven. “Keep your damn eyes closed,” she said as she clutched the blanket.

Sidney sat behind the wheel with his eyes shut waiting for Charlotte to get in. He opened them briefly to check on her progress and ensure that she hadn’t taken off again and caught a quick glimpse of her in the rearview mirror as she wrapped the blanket around her naked body. He closed his eyes tightly, fearing he’d be caught but honestly felt that quick view was worth any potential punishment.

Charlotte pushed the button to close the hatch and quickly ran in her bare feet to the passenger door and hopped onto the toasty seat. She arranged the blanket to confirm she was fully covered and looked at Sidney, who still had his eyes closed. Part of her wanted to punch him in the arm, hard, but she was completely swaddled in the wool and wasn’t ready to exchange the warmth for payback.

“Can I open my eyes now?” he asked, feeling a bit vulnerable and half expecting her to hit him.

“Yes, drive,” she said turning her head to the side window, not wanting to look at him.

Sidney put the Rover into gear and started out but stopped as the seatbelt alert repeatedly chimed. He looked at her and she didn’t move. “Charlotte, seatbelt.”

Charlotte struggled, trying to unwrap her arm and Sidney quickly leaned across, grabbed the belt, fastened it tight, and gave her an exasperated smirk. Charlotte returned the look with a sneer and regretted not punching him in the arm.

Sidney had absolutely no idea where to start a conversation but knew he had no intention of letting her out of his car until they had sorted this all out. He was busy fighting with himself—trying desperately to remain good-humored about it all but finding that he was becoming more frustrated with her judgment of him. “I’ve given so much to this project—to support her novel—and me wanting to stay anonymous is what she’s going to focus on,” he thought, trying to quell the impulse to yell. He knew he most certainly wasn’t ready to talk because in addition to the frustration, the simple fact that there was a naked Charlotte under that blanket was flooding his head with urges he was fairly confident she would not welcome.

Charlotte kept her eyes locked on the road ahead as she sorted through her emotions which were a mix of anger, gratitude, and lust. She was angry with the deception and that she was most likely just some diversion for him, but she was also grateful knowing the tremendous expense and effort he must have incurred for this project. She also thought perhaps his secrecy was for his own sanity—remembering all the cameras and fans at Arthur’s restaurant. And then there was the lust. In every Posy story, water led to sex. Any rain, shower, waterfall, swimming or even drinking a glass of water scene ended in mind-blowing orgasms and every single one of those scenes was now running through her head creating desperate urges she knew she could and should not act on—she needed to be mad. “Stop it!” she said loudly then closed her eyes realizing that was aloud.

“What? I’m not doing anything,” Sidney said curtly.

They both returned to their quiet brooding for several kilometers. It was Sidney who decided it was time to break the silence. “All of those things you said earlier, do you really think that badly of me?” he asked softly.

Charlotte could hear the pain in his voice and had to be honest. “No,” she said in an equally quiet voice. “Why would you play with me like that—do you think so little of me?” she asked, turning her head toward the side window so he couldn’t see the tears that she was trying to hold in.

“Think so little of you? I actually think the world of you—and your work,” Sidney said so bluntly that he shocked himself and half wished he could take it back. “You saw how it was at Arthur’s with the press. This is the first time I’m doing anything like this and I just wanted my privacy as I worked through all the project logistics,” he explained. “And really didn’t need anyone fanning over or judging me while I was trying to get this underway. I was going to tell you today…”

“So you think I’d fan over you?” she asked, the tears definitely halted.

“No, I, well…you most certainly judged me before even meeting me. I believe the term you used was _thirst trap_ …and there is that picture on your phone, isn’t there?” he gave her a challenging grin.

“Why does he have to look at me like that?” she thought, reminding herself to be angry. “And all these little tests this week—manipulating me to spend time with you so you could torture me…”

“Me? I believe you were the one who came up with those scenes—the horses, the dancing, the frigid water, I think you were most certainly the one trying to torture me. I just figured fair is fair. Every time I refreshed my email, I half expected to find a scene where I’m swimming with sharks,” he gave her an amused look, checking to gauge how mad she really was. 

“I deleted that one,” she smiled weakly. “It was really good though—I think we should resuscitate it.”

“Well, you should email the executive producer and see what he says,” he advised and mouthed the word ‘no.’

They were both silent for several more minutes.

“Charlotte, I am truly sorry for deceiving you. I honestly never meant to hurt you,” he said sincerely. He paused to consider his next words. “Please don’t leave the project. I, the project really needs you,” he fumbled.

Charlotte took some time to consider her response and pulled the blanket tighter around her. The emotion of the day combined with the warmth of the blanket was starting to take their toll and she was feeling tired but she needed to know. Charlotte looked at him. “Why did you ask me if I liked you?”

Sidney swallowed hard and pushed down any impulse to quote some of his old movie lines. He kept his eyes locked on the road, fearing her reaction to the words he intended to say. “Because I find that your good opinion suddenly seems to matter most to me.”

“Oh,” she said then turned to look out the window again.

That was most certainly not the response Sidney wanted and he could feel the pain in his stomach returning.

Sidney’s words had Charlotte rattled. This was not in any of the scenarios she had so meticulously planned and tried to push away all the noise in her head so she could focus on how she really felt. It was another several minutes before she responded. “Going forward, you’ll be completely honest with me on everything?” she asked.

“Yes,” he looked at her and nodded as if taking a solemn vow.

“Well then,” she started. “I guess we have a film to do, don’t we?”

Sidney gave her a grateful smile.

She looked at him and couldn’t help herself. “And Sidney, the answer to that question you emailed, it’s yes,” she said and smiled at him then turned back to the window and briefly closed her eyes—she didn’t intend to, but she quickly fell asleep.

*****

The traffic was heavier than Sidney expected and they were still a long way from Charlotte’s flat. A turned-over truck had snarled the motorway and Charlotte awoke to see a tense Sidney craning his neck to stretch out the kinks.

“Sorry, I guess I didn’t realize how tired I was,” she said, adjusting the blanket to ensure she was covered.

“You didn’t miss anything, this is a mess,” he said, smiling at her no-longer-wet wild curls. “I think we’ll be stuck here for a while.”

Charlotte was quiet, trying to assess the situation as her bladder was not really in a “stuck here for a while” mood. “That’s going to be a problem,” she said quietly. “I really need to use the bathroom.”

“Okay, I’ll try to get us off this—I believe there is a Leon’s nearby,” he said, turning on his indicator to change lanes.

“Not sure if that’s the best option,” she said as she looked down at herself. “I think a naked shoeless woman wrapped in a blanket exiting Sid Parker’s car might draw some attention.”

“Good point,” he said, thinking a moment. “Can you make it ten minutes?” he asked.

“I think so,” she said, as she crossed her legs.

He gave her a quick look. “I’m not too far—we’ll go to my place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! I want happy so couldn’t keep her angry for long—hope the chapter is okay. I’ll look to get another chapter up in a few days. I need to get back to work! 😊 Oh, to have Sidney’s job where I can be stationed in a tavern drinking with friends (couldn't do the fighting to amuse them-but maybe tell stories and sing!)


	13. Chapter 13

“Lots of lights, sorry. It’s just the next street,” Sidney apologized and immediately accelerated as the light turned green.

“I’m fine,” Charlotte said, not really, but was completely embarrassed to be in such a human state after their heartfelt conversation where feelings were honestly revealed.

Sidney took the hard turn into the private underground parking garage fast and was clearly impatient as he waited for the door to open. A few moments later he illegally parked by the entrance, flipped on his hazards, and offered to carry a barefoot Charlotte, but she was already out the door and headed to the lift, which seemed to take forever and a day to arrive. After an agonizingly long ride up to his floor, Sidney opened the door to his flat and Charlotte scooted past him. “First door on the right, I’m going to park the car and get your clothes,” he said to the back of Charlotte who had closed the bathroom door before he finished speaking.

After parking in his spot, he retrieved her clothing and wellies, all of which were still soaked and carried the pile upstairs. He quickly sorted what could be thrown in the dryer from what couldn’t and reviewed the laundering instructions on her undergarments, opting to just hang the satin bra and panties to dry and feeling mischievously disappointed that he hadn’t had the chance to remove them himself. “Wow Parker,” he said. “Let’s not go from zero to sixty here—all you know for sure is that she doesn’t hate you.”

“Charlotte, your stuff is still soaked,” he said through the door. “I’ll find you something, just give me another minute.”

“Thanks,” Charlotte said as she stared in the mirror at her wild hair and the crease in her cheek from sleeping against the seatbelt. “Why is this not going away…,” she moaned as she rubbed her face.

“I found a t-shirt that should fit—I got it in an event gift bag and kept forgetting to donate it. The other stuff will be too big but should be okay until some of your things dry,” he said, holding the pile out as she opened the door a crack to accept the clothing. “Do you want something to drink while we wait?” he asked.

“Sure,” she looked in the mirror again, shaking her head. “Is that a good idea? Really Charlotte…you are all emotion right now, is alcohol a good idea…” she whispered to herself, thinking about all the words he said and smiling about the idea that hers was the opinion that mattered most.

“I’ll be in the kitchen, it’s just down the hall,” he said, hoping the clothes he gave her would be good enough for at least a little while.

Charlotte emerged a few moments later in a basic white t-shirt that, from the Hugo Boss label, she thought probably cost a fortune, a pair of long pajama bottoms she cuffed at the ankles and cinched tightly at the waist, and an oversized pair of black socks. She made her way slowly down the hallway that was lined with family photos and pieces of interesting art. His home was simpler and smaller than she expected. Two large leather chairs were the focus of the living room, accompanied by a piano and a desk loaded with organized stacks of books and papers. The kitchen was sparse, with simple shelves instead of cabinets—the only appliance on the counter looked to be an elegant combination coffee and espresso machine.

“Thank you,” she said, placing the folded blanket on the counter of the center island.

Sidney turned to look at her and let out a light laugh. “I’m sorry,” he said, handing her a healthy pour of a fine Malbec. “You look, um…

“Frumpy,” she attempted to finish his thought.

“No, adorable,” he smiled sheepishly.

“You try to pull off this fashion statement,” she said as she took the wine. “This is definitely not the look I was going for,” she thought to herself as she grinned at his comment and took a quick sip. “Again, he looks like that and I probably look like some deranged vagabond,” she thought, letting her eyes wander over his form as she took a long drink and wondered what he might look like wrapped naked in a wool blanket.

“If you’re still cold, I can get you a sweater,” he said as he put down his glass and walked to his bedroom.

Confused, Charlotte looked down, embarrassed —“white t-shirt, no bra, illicit thoughts, telling reaction…wonderful,” she muttered to herself. “Get a hold, Heywood,” she whispered as she put the wine down on the counter.

“It will be too big, but it should help,” Sidney said as he stood behind her and draped the sweater over her shoulders, letting his hands linger for a moment longer than needed which only fueled the feelings Charlotte was trying to dampen.

Charlotte turned to thank him, but when her eyes met his, she could not find those simple words and stood with her lips slightly parted. On impulse she placed a quick, chaste kiss on his lips. Sidney did not respond, he only looked at her questioningly, and Charlotte immediately felt that she had ridiculously misread the situation and took a step away from him, her back abruptly hitting the counter. 

Sidney shook off his surprise and would give Charlotte no additional time to second guess herself. He stepped forward and closed the distance, looking into her eyes and taking in every part of her. “Charlotte?” he asked.

“Ye…” Charlotte’s reply was curtailed by Sidney’s lips tenderly claiming hers as his arms encircled her waist, gently pulling her to him. Charlotte responded in kind, running her hands up his back and drawing him to her. After several minutes of their loving but also cautious introduction, they parted lips and looked at each other, smiling then laughing nervously before shared desire pushed away all awkwardness.

Sidney quickly lifted Charlotte up to sit on the counter and, met with no resistance, pressed opened her legs so he could eliminate any space between them. Breathless and hungry wet kisses were accompanied by exploring hands that knew no boundaries. He reluctantly released her swollen lips to look at her. Her neck, the curve of her collarbone, the erect nipples visible under her shirt—he wanted everything all at once, but he wasn’t done exploring her mouth and returned to her lips with increased passion as he mentally plotted his intended path down her body.

Charlotte wrapped her legs around Sidney’s hips and, already aching with desire, pressed herself against him as her hands roamed freely under his sweater—satisfying the urge she had to caress his muscular back since riding with him.

With an audible gasp, Sidney freed his lips and slowly followed the line of her jaw placing caring kisses until he found the soft skin of her neck just under her ear.

“Do you have protection?” she whispered.

“No, you’re not on any…” he started but became distracted as his lips trailed down her neck to her collarbone. His hand cupped her breast through the shirt with his finger rubbing her nipple, as his other hand found its way to release the drawstring of her pajama bottoms so he could move his hand under the fabric down her backside to tug her to the edge of the counter, bringing her harder against him.

“I have some in my purse, did you bring it up?” she asked breathlessly as his hands shifted to remove her shirt. She was so thankful that even though angry with him last night, she decided to pack the condoms.

“No, but I’ll be careful—I can control myself,” he said, as Charlotte could feel his growing desire begin to press harder against her. She momentarily decided to agree to his appealing words then grudgingly returned to her senses.

She took his face firmly in her hands and looked directly in his eyes. “I am the eldest of twelve children—one mother, no one adopted. Apart from me, everyone else is a series of twins and triplets.”

Almost panting, Sidney swallowed hard and nodded in complete understanding then lowered her blouse and pushed her back to stabilize her on the counter. “I’ll fetch your bag,” he said as he stepped back to gather himself then quickly headed toward the door. He stopped and looked back. “Don’t move! Really, don’t move! I’ll be right back.”

Charlotte firmly patted her hands on the cold marble. “Not moving—go!”

He smiled and turned to run down the hall.

“Is this really happening? Is this too soon?” Charlotte asked herself aloud after she heard the door slam. She looked around for her wine, picked it up and took a substantial sip. She was lost in her thoughts as she went to take another and spilled some on the expensive “basic” white t-shirt. “Shit, shit, shit,” she said putting down the glass, securing the drawstrings on her pajamas and leaping off the counter to run to the kitchen sink. “This is why you can’t have nice things, Charlotte,” she said, grabbing a towel. She tried to remove the stain, but instead ended up soaking the t-shirt in water. “Great, now I look like a drunk university girl on holiday.”

Sidney sprinted down the stairs, knowing the lift would take too damn long and grabbed her purse, cursing that he didn’t remember it earlier. He bolted back up the several flights in record time, pausing for a moment at the front door of his flat, reconfirming that this was right and pushing aside the idea that this may be too fast.

He locked the door behind him and threw his keys in the bowl on the side table, making his way to the kitchen in quick strides. He froze when he saw her at the sink with her wine-stained wet shirt.

“Get on your knees and crawl over here now!” he commanded.

No Posy story she read had this in it and Charlotte was a bit concerned and, she had to admit, a little excited. She stared at him for a moment, considering her words. “Look, I’m not sure, I mean I read a lot of Marquis de Sade at university and did a paper on how I think _Justine_ has some rather advanced feminist thinking that I presented at a conference. And I’m familiar with _Fifty Shades of Grey_ —it was interesting but the book was riddled with typos and somewhat unreadable—and I’m not saying no, but I’m really not ready for that yet. But I could see us getting there,” she rambled, nervously trying to find something to do with her hands the entire time.

Sidney closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Charlotte, look at me and seriously don’t turn around. There is a drone with a camera outside the window filming us, so get down and crawl over here to hide behind the island.”

“Yes, right,” she said, desperately regretting the last few moments.

They sat side by side with their backs against the island, both knowing the night was not going to turn out as either expected. Sidney took Charlotte’s hand in his. “I’m really sorry. All of the other windows are glazed so you can’t see in. I’m getting those few done next week. Technology is great, isn’t it,” he said, kissing her hand. “I didn’t see the drone before. Hopefully, it just arrived when I returned. I desperately wish they didn’t film you.”

Charlotte thought of the camera catching her with Sidney or even her trying to clean her wine-stained shirt and considered what lethal ammunition that would be for her father and step-mother to again criticize her life choices. “Isn’t that illegal?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes, but it’s hard to prove and sometimes they just use them to get intel so they can follow up in more public places. I think it’s probably best to get you out of here and do what we can to protect your reputation just in case,” he said reluctantly, releasing her hand and reaching up to the counter to retrieve his phone. He scrolled through his contacts to find the building’s security chief and hit the call button.

“Erika, it’s Sidney Parker, I need an exit. Actually, it’s not for me this time, but for a guest…yes Erika, I do have a guest,” he smiled weakly at Charlotte as he felt he was clearly outed for being something of a loner. “Yes. I understand. Okay, see you in fifteen in the garage.”

“Do you really want me to leave?” Charlotte asked, visibly wounded.

“No, absolutely not, seriously, not, but if the press sees you with me it will only hurt your reputation, and according to Erika, this place is fairly surrounded,” he said, reclaiming her hand.

“I don’t give a fig about that,” she responded.

“But I do and I care too much about you to let that happen. You don’t know how cruel it can really get,” he said as he picked up the cardigan that had fallen to the floor and wrapped it around her. “You’ll want to cover your face. Head to the bathroom and I’ll go see what’s dry.”

*****

Charlotte followed Sidney to the lift, dressed in a mix of her clothes, his clothes, and still wet wellies. Sidney pressed the button then took Charlotte’s hands in his. “There is a fire exit that connects the adjacent properties and opens onto the street about three buildings down. Erika will escort you and will have a car there for you,” he explained then kissed her softly on her forehead.

“Come with me,” she said as they entered the lift and rode down to the garage.

Sidney took Charlotte in his arms, “I can’t, I need to head out the front and take the photographers with me. My neighbors are understanding, but only to a point.” He pulled her close. “You have no idea how hard it is to say goodbye to you tonight,” he said as he placed a soft kiss on her lips that quickly turned into a passionate exchange, so much so that they did not realise the doors had opened to an awaiting Erika for several moments.

Only slightly embarrassed, Sidney held Charlotte’s hand as they both followed Erika to the fire exit. Sidney stopped short of the door and pulled Charlotte to him. “I’ll contact you later—I actually have some things I really need to talk with you about – regarding the film,” he said, unable to resist the urge to place a quick kiss on her lips. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “and it’s good to know where you’d like this to go. I’ll study up on my Sade.”

Charlotte pushed him away and blushed, then reluctantly trailed Erika down the dark hallway to the awaiting car.

*****

“Did today really happen?” Charlotte questioned herself as she opened the door to her flat. She couldn’t help but smile about the events of the last few hours but was also a bit mortified that she revealed an S&M curiosity like that. A large part of her desperately hoped Sidney would find his way to her flat, but there was also a part of her that felt things had gone too fast and a little slower might just be a better approach—but just slightly better.

*****

It had been a few hours and Charlotte hadn’t yet heard from Sidney. She had showered and changed into something that she thought may be a bit more appealing if Sidney did stop over but after an hour, she changed into some sweats and retrieved Butter from Marj and took the dog for a short walk.

Charlotte picked up her phone and put it down some twenty times in roughly three minutes before she decided to head to bed. She had just dozed off when she was awakened by a text from Sidney…

_Sorry, it’s so late. Hope I’m not waking you. Still up? Can I call?_

Before she could finish her text response, the phone rang.

“I saw you typing and decided to take a chance,” Sidney said, sounding exhausted.

“Are you okay?” Charlotte asked, sitting up in bed, disturbing a dozing Butter.

“I don’t know what’s going on. They were relentless and I ended up having to go to Diana’s to hide out. I haven’t seen it this bad in a while—if ever. I just got home,” he said, and Charlotte could hear the chime of the lift.

“I’m sorry,” she said, not really knowing what to say.

“Can I see you tomorrow? I actually really need to talk to you about a few things,” he asked.

“Sure,” she said, hoping he’d just come over.

“I’ll meet you at the production office—eleven work? I can send a car for you—I think it may be better to drive separately. Like I said—sorry if I’m repeating, just really tired,” he rambled. “I have no clue what this is all about, but there were still a few reporters waiting for me when I got back. It’s crazier than I’ve ever seen. Oh, and I can bring the rest of your clothes…” he paused. “Or you can leave them here for next time—if you’re open for a next time.”

Charlotte smiled that he wanted a next time. “I can meet you there—no car necessary. And yes, please keep the clothes for next time.”

They were both quiet for a moment, not really knowing how to end the call.

“See you tomorrow then,” she said.

“Yes, tomorrow,” he agreed. “And Charlotte, thank you for today—every single second of it.”

Charlotte put down her phone and snuggled back into bed, truly happier and feeling more confident and more herself than she’d felt in a long while. She was just about to fall asleep when the TMZ alert jarred her awake. Frustrated that she forgot to turn off her alerts, Charlotte grabbed her phone and looked at the story, coming to fully understand why the reporters were ruthlessly hunting down Sidney and feeling impishly amused at how he was going to talk his way out of this one tomorrow...

_Eliza Campion Reunites with Ex Sid Parker in Sexy Regency Project—Will it be ‘Sin-ful??’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and--I mean this very intentionally --for being so wonderfully kind! Hope this one was at least a little fun and not too off the mark—insomnia writing! Have a wonderful day and keep safe! Hope to see you over the weekend!!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after I posted the last chapter, I ended up with a late-night work emergency and wasn’t able to check anything (AO3/personal email) for a while. Then I saw such kindness! Thank you! And thank you to my particular friend for reviewing the first paragraph. 😊 Sorry if this chapter is too much in their heads—but it’s fun to be there for me after work!

Charlotte awoke a good half hour before her alarm, smiling. She wasn’t exactly sure what her dream about being the Little Mermaid on a rock with the ocean waves surging around her meant but was convinced it had been inspired by a Posy gif she saw on Twitter the other day and, even though she never really liked the movie, she felt happy and contented by her reverie.

After taking Butter for her morning constitutional and feeding her the last of Arthur’s leftovers along with her kibble, Charlotte took off for her morning run. It was a good hour and a half before sunrise and she enjoyed the quiet and nearly empty streets that greeted her on her weekend morning runs. The previous day’s events kept replaying in her head and she was acutely aware of how different it felt from the first days of other relationships she’d had. With those, she was always remembering what she did wrong and relentlessly questioning every word and look. This morning—even though she knew she definitely had some embarrassing moments—none of those mattered and all she could think about were all the good things. Sidney’s captivating and mischievous grin, the feeling of his hand holding hers, the slight smell of his aftershave all filled her senses as she ran, and even though she had her earphones in, the thoughts of him made her forget to turn on her music.

Even the news of the stunning and famous Eliza Campion being his ex didn’t upset her, and she was a bit taken aback by her own reaction or really, lack of one. When a delivery truck temporarily blocked her path and interrupted her run near a newsstand, the coverage of Sidney’s former relationship and their upcoming film was all over the dailies. Images of both Eliza and “Sid” from what looked to be ten years ago and then some individual pictures of them today papered one entire side of the kiosk. It was alarmingly surprising to her that she didn’t feel threatened. She thought perhaps she was being naive, but all she knew for certain was that not one of the pictures had his genuine smile she’d come to know in such a short time, remembering how easily he shared it when they danced and with his family.

As she quickened her pace back to her flat, Charlotte did contemplate how she might torture Sidney about not telling her that Eliza was his ex, but then reconsidered. Something told her not to. While she didn’t know any details or even anything really about Eliza apart that she had a role in the film, she just had a deep and sad feeling that he’d already been tortured enough on that front.

*****

“Mr. Parker, you may not want to go out that way,” Jen said as she watered the flower arrangements in the lobby foyer. “They were already there when I arrived at five this morning.”

Sidney gave her a thankful nod and contemplated if he wanted to simply charge through the photographers to get in his morning run or head to his club. He hated treadmills and was in the mood for a fine, fresh autumn morning and had no desire to let them take this from him. He was going to see Charlotte in a few hours and wasn’t going to let anything ruin his mood.

“The flowers look beautiful Jen—and thank you for helping me find that gardenia corsage the other day. I hope to become something of a regular buyer,” he said as he pulled his cap down over his ears and found his go-to music to drown out the questions—Peter Gabriel’s _Passion_. Sidney kept his eyes forward and upped his pace quickly, ignoring the flashing cameras and the music-muffled questions.

Leaving the press behind, Sidney let himself enjoy the happy memories of the day before. “Maybe I should pick up a copy of _120 Days of Sodom_ as a joke? I can give it to her with her button,” he thought. “Much too soon, Parker, you just found out she’s one of twelve. You have A LOT to learn,” he said aloud to himself and laughed. After nearly thirty minutes, Sidney stopped dead in his tracks, fearing he had made a huge mistake. He never really cared what the press said about him, that’s why he didn’t bother to find out why they were still outside. “What if they found out about Charlotte?” he thought and his stomach dropped as the image of the press surrounding her building rushed through his mind as did potentially compromising photos from the night before. He quickly grabbed his phone and saw the texts that had been building over the last half-hour.

There were several from Arthur—first with some unique obscenities, then words of care. Diana and Tom wanted to know if he was okay. And Susan just commanded— _My office. 9:00 sharp! I’ll make it easy – Double Stuff Oreos. No excuses!_

Sidney reluctantly pulled up the gossip site and saw the latest headlines about him and Eliza. “Typical Eliza,” he said, knowing he’d need to talk with her about her publicity machine at some point. He scrolled through and saw nothing of Charlotte and exhaled with relief. In the back of his mind, he knew there was some doubt starting to form and he was trying hard not to let it in. “If I’m a good person, I probably shouldn’t drag her into any of this and end it now,” he said quietly to himself, knowing as he said the words he didn’t want to believe them. Sidney started back to his flat, mapping out the best store to stop at for Susan’s cookies.

*****

“First you get a dog without telling me and then you hire Eliza?” Arthur said, clearly frustrated.

“Arthur, you know that’s Charlotte’s dog and yes, I hired Eliza, she’s right for the role,” Sidney said as he could hear Arthur furiously stirring what he guessed was crepe batter given his mood.

“I just don’t know how you can trust her—you’re a much better man than I am. I would never be able to let her near anything or anyone I cared about,” he said as he covered the crepe batter and placed it in the fridge. “You know she’s not allowed anywhere near my chocolate croissants in your breakroom.”

“I doubt she eats anything bread-like,” Sidney said calmly, trying to take some of the emotion out of the discussion.

“You know I’m here for you—just be careful brother,” Arthur conceded.

“I really appreciate it—you’re a good friend and a good brother, Arthur,” Sidney said as he pulled up to Susan’s office.

“Sidney—you need to tell Diana and Tom about how you’re producing this film. Both of them were feeling really bad for you that the executive producer hired Eliza—you need to let them know you did this to yourself with eyes wide open,” Arthur cautioned.

“You’re right, I will sooner rather than later, maybe even today. Love you, I need to go,” he said as he put the Rover in park. Sidney grabbed the cookies and headed in, not knowing exactly what to expect.

*****

Charlotte couldn’t help herself. Even though she didn’t feel threatened by Eliza, she did want to know more so after her shower she shuffled over to her desk in her furry slippers and felt a twinge of guilt as she opened her laptop.

One thing she knew for sure about the Posies was that they were protective of “Sid” so she opted for the gossip sites. After only a few seconds she came across the pictures that had been resurrected thanks to Eliza taking the role. Many of these she’d already seen on the newsstand, but one of Sidney looking angry and hurt being pulled away from another man by Arthur and Tom was painful. 

Charlotte closed the browser window then her laptop. “Imagine if he could so easily see all of my weakest moments by just typing a few keys,” she said, deciding that she would let him tell her about everything when he was ready.

Her long run that morning combined with her extended shower as she imagined in detail what might have happened if he had come over last night had her about a half-hour behind schedule and she realized she needed to head out soon to make it to the office on time. She quickly dressed in a simple wool shift dress and her leather boots, grabbed her bag, and gave Butter a few treats before heading out to meet Sidney.

*****

“So…let’s talk Eliza,” Susan said as she twisted the Oreo open and licked out the cream center.

“She’s not the lead—that’s still open and is an entirely different story,” he said as he did the same with his Oreo.

“And the press today—tell me how you’re feeling,” she asked with a look that was more maternal than she usually gave.

“I honestly can say I really don’t care. They can say whatever they want about me as long as they leave Charlotte alone,” he said, wishing he’d brought some milk.

“Give me one second.” As if reading his mind, Susan got up and quickly returned with two glasses of milk. “So…then let’s talk Charlotte. Does she know the truth yet?”

“Actually, she figured it out on her own,” he said, grinning as he remembered her reaction after dropping her in the water, letting himself linger on the image.

“And…,” Susan prompted him to continue.

“We’re on the same page—although she might think I’m a much more interesting book than I really am,” he joked then grew more serious before his next words. “I think things could be really good there,” he quietly uttered, as if saying it aloud would somehow jinx it.

“What’s wrong, Sidney?” she asked, offering him another cookie.

“You know how tough this world is and part of me is feeling very selfish about bringing her into it—I just don’t want her hurt. I think I should perhaps cut things off now,” he said, thinking of all the embarrassing pictures that had already resurfaced of him from years earlier thanks to Eliza and never wanted that for Charlotte.

“What do you think she’d say to you if you told her that you didn’t want to pursue a relationship with her because you were trying to ‘protect’ her?” Susan asked. She’d read Charlotte’s novel and even had heard a few of her interviews and didn’t believe Charlotte to be any wilting flower.

Sidney laughed. “I think she’d chew me out and punch me in the arm, hard.”

“Then maybe you let her make her own decisions,” Susan smiled at him. “Let’s talk about your next steps.”

Sidney sat back and, with an eager smile on his face, asked Susan as he would his mother if she were there, “how exactly does one court a woman these days?”

*****

Charlotte could hear the sound of furious typing as she entered the breakroom.

“Zara, what are you doing here on a Saturday?” Charlotte asked, surprised to see anyone in the office.

“Oh…I…my wifi went out and I needed to finish something,” she said, quickly closing her laptop. “I’m heading out now—see you next week.”

Charlotte watched as Zara quickly shut down her laptop and headed out, more than convinced she saw the Posy fanfiction site logo on the screen before she closed it.

“Thankfully, she made coffee,” Charlotte said as she poured a cup. A text from Sidney told her she didn’t need to rush.

_With Diana—running late. Be there shortly. Sorry._

*****

Sidney sat at the light some five minutes from the production office. It wasn’t a long conversation with Diana, although she was fairly miffed at being kept in the dark. Her anger was quickly erased as Sidney offered her a job to be the etiquette consultant on the film, which included extensive coaching of all the lead actors as well as on-shoot review. That was part of his plan all along, he just hadn’t gotten around to it. In addition to having the best person for the job, he thought it was probably good to have someone on set who truly understood and knew how to handle Eliza.

Now for Tom. Sidney knew that would be the tougher conversation. Weekends were most certainly Tom and Mary’s family days so he decided to push telling him until Monday and when he parked, texted him an invitation to breakfast. While Tom could be a wild card, Sidney actually started to think he too may be someone he should consider bringing on board. “It may be a crazy idea, but apparently Eliza is loaded for bear, and I may need every ally I can get,” he thought.

He’d been looking forward to seeing Charlotte since last night, but now he couldn’t move from his car. “Right now it’s all business—just focus on the film. Later you can focus on everything else,” he told himself and unlocked the car doors, looking around for photographers before heading to the office and up the stairs. “Easier said than done,” he thought as found her in the printer room. She seemed as if in deep thought and was absentmindedly biting her lip as she shifted the papers around. It took every bit of restraint he could muster to keep from taking her in his arms and picking up where they left things last night.

“Morning,” he said, surprising Charlotte who responding by dropping her papers to the floor. “Sorry, I’m late,” he apologized, kneeling to help her pick up the scattered pages. “What are all of these?”

“Good morning,” she smiled, wondering if there might be more of a passionate greeting to come. After a few seconds and seeing none coming, she started. “With Eliza Campion officially signed, I wanted to review her scenes and see if anything didn’t work,” she said, not intending to start their day with that topic, but doing it nonetheless.

“Yes, Eliza,” Sidney said on an exhale as he stood up and handed the pages to Charlotte. “Can we start somewhere else first?” he asked, looking around to ensure they were the only two in the office before taking Charlotte’s hand. “There is a lot I want to say about yesterday,” he started, his smile turning to something of a blush and he looked down. “I was thinking we could focus here on work and then, if you’re up for it, we could, um, have a date tonight? Get to know each other a bit better?”

Charlotte nodded. “My thoughts exactly,” she said, her slight smile turning into a broad grin. She couldn’t remember the last time, if ever, that someone used the word “date” with her and she felt a little giddy. After several moments, Charlotte gently removed her hand from his, “so, where should we start?”

Sidney led Charlotte to the back office and they both sat at a conference table. “Well we should get this out of the way—Eliza,” Sidney began. “So a few things there—she’s really right for the role and she is a box office draw, so I think she’ll be good for the film. That said, she does bring a publicity machine with her that can stir up things so we’ll need to figure out how we make that work for the film. I’ll connect with PR next week on that,” he said, opening his laptop.

“I saw some of that already,” Charlotte said, not trying to pry, but wanting to learn more if he were open to it.

“Yes. Okay. As it relates to the film, she and I had a relationship that ended badly years ago, but we’re older now and I think it’s all water under the bridge,” he said, not wanting to bring it all back right now.

“Is it all in the past for her?” Charlotte asked, keeping her eyes focused on her hands knowing she had just agreed to keep things professional at the office.

He remembered his pledge to be honest with her. “No, I don’t think so. But Charlotte,” he said, taking her hand and drawing her eyes to his. “It’s all in the past for me. She’s here because no matter what silliness she brings with her, she will make the film better. I can promise you; she will bring your character to life.”

“I trust you,” she said, squeezing then releasing his hand. “Now what about this broad call for the female lead? Or is someone in casting just looking for a date?” she asked, remembering how many numbers Esther had collected.

Sidney explained his rationale and that there would be four votes—his, Charlotte’s, Babington’s, and Eliza’s. “I thought you could help me sort through some of these headshots. Emily and the team have winnowed them down, but it’s still a lot and we want to bring in the top contenders on Monday.”

After spending the next two hours going through her stack twice, Charlotte had only pulled five. “They all seem very fashionable, very London. I could see them in the ballroom scenes, but not working with the doctor to set an old man’s leg,” she said, pushing her chair back and rubbing her eyes.

Sidney nodded and pulled forward another stack. After another two hours of studying headshots and viewing test scenes, they agreed to another five—enough to review with Babington and Eliza on Monday. “After we find the right woman for the role, we’ll take the lead actors and key crew—including you of course—up to Babington’s. You thought that was a good idea, right?”

“Yes—even though I was trying goad you at the time Babington told me about it,” she teased. “I don’t remember whether or not Babington has stables, but it may be good to have some of the horses you plan to use there so the actors can get familiar with them since they’ll be in so many scenes. I could see you, I mean your character, mounted on Katy. ”

“I did like her and it looks as if she likes to be ridden hard but not sure if they had Aztecas in England at the time. We can research it,” Sidney said, closing his laptop. “Is five too early?” he asked as he donned his jacket and reached to help Charlotte with hers.

“It’s perfect,” Charlotte said. “Where should I meet you?” she asked, knowing it would be tough for him to go unnoticed on a Saturday night anywhere near her flat.

“I’ll send a car—it’s just a short drive. You know,” he started, as she turned to him. “I can’t really go to the movies or restaurants right now with all this press so it might not be the most exciting time,” he warned.

“So just Netflix and chill then?” she asked, suddenly remembering the phrase’s meaning and trying to clarify that’s not what she really intended. “I mean just hanging out, not…you know…”

Sidney smiled. “I know what you meant,” he said and picked up her bag. “I think slow might be good. Of course, I don’t ever intend to leave this behind again,” his smile shifting to a naughty grin as he handed her the bag.

Charlotte took the purse on her shoulder and headed for the door, giving him a smirk. “Really, what are we doing and what’s the attire?”

“It’s a surprise and really anything is fine,” he held the door open for her. “You won’t have your clothes on for long.”

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Date night to come 😊 Sorry for typos—tired eyes don’t seem to see them anymore!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you like the story—today’s (or it's really tonight/this morning because of insomnia again) will be a bit, um, a lot more serious and I have no idea how the heck it got so long! Sorry about that! Hope it’s okay. As always, I'm sorry for any typos! I hate those!

“I have absolutely no idea what he meant, what do you think?” Charlotte asked Butter as she leashed her for a walk. Butter clearly didn’t care and really just wanted outside and fast.

Sidney remained mute as she pressed him for information when they exited the office and he escorted her to a car she was not aware he’d ordered. All he said was “the driver will be at your place at five o’clock” then smirked as he shut the car door.

Her mind wandered as Butter led her around the small, nearby park. “Swimming?” she asked Butter and the dog looked up then back down at a particularly interesting patch of grass. “We really never got the cove done, or did we? Maybe I’ll pack a suit just in case,” she said, trying to figure out the best handbag to take that would accommodate her swimming apparel without being too big.

Charlotte ran through potential destinations and activities that would require her to lose her clothes while still taking it “slow,” as she thought they both agreed. It wasn’t until she was back in her flat staring at her wardrobe, figuring out what to wear, that it hit her and she felt sick. “Pray, please say he’s not going to be like Thomas,” she said looking at Butter, who lowered her head to the floor when she heard the name of her former owner. Thomas very much enjoyed taking Charlotte shopping for sexy clothes, having her model his picks. The memory of that humiliating time made her want to crawl under the blankets and cover every inch of her body. “Sidney wouldn’t be like that—you’re silly Charlotte,” she told herself as she sat next to Butter and scratched the dog’s ear, now having more anxiety than she’d like for the date she was earlier so looking forward to. “We’ll make tomorrow our day,” she told Butter, thinking how much time she’d spent away from her lately, and knowing if Sidney did turn out like Thomas, they'd certainly have a lot more time together.

She considered her wardrobe options as she went to the fridge to smell the almost now wilted gardenia. Instead of changing, she remained in the demure wool shift dress she’d worn the entire day and simply swapped out some low heels for her boots and tied up her hair in a neat but loose bun. Although she tried hard to push any uncertainty from her mind—it was still there and she more than knew that she had to give Sidney the benefit of the doubt. She grabbed a smaller purse that would fit her balled bathing suit as well as some protection in case, well, just in case.

She gazed at her phone as the time flipped to five o’clock and immediately there was a knock at the door. Charlotte put on her coat, gathered her bag, and was trying to focus on feelings of excitement versus the nervousness that was swelling in her as she opened the door.

“Ms. Heywood, good evening,” the imposing yet stunning woman said. “I’m Sophia, your driver for the night. Are you ready?”

Charlotte nodded, “it’s lovely to meet you. And Charlotte, please.”

“Mr. Parker sent this for a Ms. Butter,” she said, handing Charlotte a large chew braid. Charlotte turned to find Butter who was immediately nudging her thigh looking for the loveliest of treats.

“Do you need me to carry anything for you?” Sophia asked, monitoring the hallway for any activity.

Charlotte looked at her purse. “This is all I have. Should I have more?” she asked, wondering if there was some expectation of an overnight bag.

Sophia smiled. “Please, follow me and let me go first,” she said as she waited for Charlotte to lock the door then checked the stairs before they headed out.

“Are you concerned about something?” Charlotte asked, a little disturbed.

“Sorry Ms. Heywood, I mean Charlotte. It’s my training,” she said as she opened the building door and led Charlotte to the car.

Charlotte climbed into the back of the SUV and settled in. “Do you work with Erika?” she asked.

“We are a strong network,” Sophia answered briefly, looking as if she had just revealed she was part of some secret society.

“How long will it take us to get there?” Charlotte asked.

“Not long—and I’ve been told I’m not allowed to give you any details,” Sophia said as she smiled at Charlotte from the rearview mirror and started the car. “My apologies, I almost forgot, there is something on the seat for you from Mr. Parker,” she said.

Charlotte spied the box next to her and opened it gingerly. It was a small bouquet of daffodils. “How in the world did he find daffodils in autumn?” she asked—not realizing it was aloud.

“That’s quite a feat,” Sophia said, smiling. “Do you know what they mean?” she asked.

Charlotte held the bouquet in her hand—noticing it seemed as if they were just cut—and shook her head, amazed that this woman who looked like she could take out any type of assailant knew the language of flowers.

“They mean respect and admiration—it’s quite lovely,” Sophia said. “Not many men are that thoughtful.”

Charlotte let herself exhale and smiled, doubting Sidney would or could be anything like Thomas. “Yes,” she said. “Very rare indeed.”

*****

Looking out the window, Charlotte watched as the streets turned from lively to deserted and the view transitioned from residential to dark industrial and warehouse. Sophia turned into the unlit parking lot and pulled into the loading dock of what looked to be a rather abandoned building.

Charlotte could feel her heart begin to pound with both excitement and fear as the old dock door clanked down behind the SUV and Sophia turned off the engine. To Charlotte’s surprise, her car door opened quickly and Diana stood waiting with a friendly smile. “Hi Charlotte, let’s off with you—lots to do,” she said and turned toward the stairs.

“I’ll take care of your flowers Charlotte—I’d hurry up if I were you. Diana is a force to be reckoned with,” Sophia said.

Charlotte quickly followed, confused that Sidney’s sister was part of their date. Diana led Charlotte to an ornate dressing room that was an eclectic but tasteful mix of Georgian, Regency, and Victorian accents. “I’m so happy to see you again. I’ve been sworn to secrecy, but it’s a little difficult to tell someone to strip off their clothes without some explanation,” Diana flashed her a smile as she closed the door behind her and pointed to the exquisite mauve gown hanging on the dressing screen.

“I think Sidney thought it would be a good idea for the film if you both spent some time in the period. I hope I got the size somewhat right,” she said, removing Charlotte’s coat. “No time to waste, let’s get you into wardrobe,” Diana said, as she surprisingly started to pull up Charlotte’s dress.

“I can do this part,” Charlotte said as she walked behind the flower-patterned changing screen and removed her dress.

Diana handed her various layers to put on then joined her behind the screen to help her with her stays. “I really liked your book Charlotte and now I understand that Sidney is the executive producer of the film and I couldn’t be happier,” she said, meeting her eyes in the mirror with a smile that turned a bit stern. “I may be Sidney’s younger sister,” Diana started, tightening Charlotte’s stays just beyond comfort. “But you should know, I’m incredibly protective of him and would be very disappointed if I ever found someone playing with his heart,” she said, loosening the ties so Charlotte could breathe easily.

Charlotte looked at Diana in the mirror. “I can promise you that I have no intention of doing any such thing,” she said, very confident in those words and now more than a little terrified of Diana.

“See, that’s perfect,” Diana said, patting Charlotte on the shoulders. “Now since you don’t have a maid with you, I have a little secret built in right here. All you have to do is pull and it all will come undone when you want to change by yourself—if you need to do this by yourself,” she winked.

With Diana’s help, Charlotte put on the heavy silk gown and looked in the mirror. She had imagined her heroine wearing such a frock and smiled as she smoothed out the skirt of the dress.

“Oh, I totally forgot! I know what will work best with this,” Diana said and disappeared for a few moments.

Charlotte continued to regard herself in the mirror, thinking this would be the best look for the luncheon party--but of course with a lace. Diana charged back into the room with a beautiful wooden box. “Here, let’s wear these,” she said as she displayed the intricate gold earrings to Charlotte. “They’re over two-hundred years old. Even Jane could have worn these.”

“I don’t know what’s happening tonight but I can’t borrow these from you, or any of this, it’s too generous,” Charlotte said, only the third time she was able to find her voice in all the frenzy in the past twenty minutes.

“Sweetie, the dress is from costume and these earrings are part of a lot my mother left to Sidney—she gave us all a few things, but he asked me to care for the jewelry along with some of his books until he found someone to give them to,” Diana said and began to place the earrings on Charlotte.

*****

Sidney paced back and forth in his full regency regalia never knowing how choking a cravat actually was and concluding that this was possibly the stupidest idea he’d ever had in his life. He knew Charlotte loved Austen and had wracked his brain to figure out how to court her properly without the angst of all the modern expectations that came with dating. A date night in 1810 seemed not the worst idea and who better to help than Diana.

“She agreed with slower? She wants slower, right? And I want slower so I can get to know her,” he muttered to himself as he took what was basically a tablespoon full of whiskey from the Regency-era glass. “Parker, you’re an idiot.”

“Sidney, your guest has arrived,” Diana said, smiling.

Sidney started to raise his eyes, again feeling like a fool for even thinking of this idea for their first, official date, and then, when spotting Charlotte, completely abandoned that thought. Charlotte looked both striking and serene, as if she had simply walked out of a Reynold’s painting. Charlotte smiled at him, giving him something of an excited but confused look.

He quickly walked over to Diana. “Thank you so much. I’ll take it from here and lock up,” he said giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Just remember, you break it you buy it,” Diana whispered, looking at the early Georgian bed in the corner of the loft and then to the dining room table at the other end of the room.

“Understood, but it won’t be an issue,” he said quietly as he escorted her to the door. “And after Sophia takes you home, tell her to do that other errand and then I’ll text her when it’s time to take Charlotte home,” he whispered as Diana waved goodbye to Charlotte.

Sidney and Charlotte looked at each other very seriously, then laughed. “I’m sorry, I just thought it would be fun and I really can’t go many places these days—and the film and all,” he said, running his finger under his cravat to loosen it a bit.

“So this is what you meant about not keeping my clothes on?” she asked, twirling in her long gown.

“I figured we both agreed to go slow so what’s better than a repressed 19th-century date, with its very specific etiquette,” he joked, looking for some assurance that he didn’t completely screw up. “I have a comprehensive list of things we can do—of course we’re already violating the rules. We should have a chaperone, but I thought Diana has better things to do,” he said, hoping Charlotte wouldn’t want to leave immediately.

“I love it, it’s perfect,” she said excitedly, her eyes taking in all the varied sets. “What is this place?”

Sidney reached for her hand and led her to a drawing-room set. “Diana instructs actors on all the proper etiquette for their roles and this is her training studio. She’ll help us with the film and explain the strict manners of the time to all the actors—how to bow, hold hands, even when and when not to look someone in the eyes,” he said, pouring wine into the antique crystal glasses.

“So what is on this list of hers for tonight? What are considered to be ‘proper’ activities?” Charlotte asked, downing her drink in one gulp. “And wow, these are really small glasses,” she said, suddenly feeling somewhat unladylike. 

“I know,” Sidney laughed, refilled her glass, and pulled the list from his pocket. “Cards is first, um—Whist or Piquet,” Sidney looked at her. “I have no idea what those are,” he said as he set the decanter of wine on the card table. 

*****

“Go fish,” Charlotte said, hoping to win at least one of their ten games over the last hour. She hadn’t had so much fun playing cards and joking with someone for a long time and wondered why she didn’t do it more.

“I’m out,” Sidney said, trying to raise his arms in victory, but was constrained by the cut of his coat. He smiled; thankful he hadn’t ripped the garment then refilled their glasses.

“I didn’t know you were such a card shark,” she laughed at him. “How?”

“Marathon sessions with Jenny, Alicia, and Henry,” he grinned, putting away the cards and taking out the list.

“Music is next—do you play?” he asked, motioning to the pianoforte.

“Not even poorly,” she smiled, walking to the instrument then running her fingers over the keys.

“Do you? I saw the piano in your flat,” she said.

“I dabble a bit,” he said as he sat on the bench.

Sidney started and stopped a few songs, flubbing notes here and there, but Charlotte found it lovely and sat next to him on the bench.

“Not sure if this is proper Ms. Heywood,” he said about her nearness as he started playing the opening chords of _Bohemian Rhapsody_.

“Have you written anything?” she asked.

Sidney gave her a weak smile then looked back at the keys. He slowly started playing and after a few bars softly sung words that spoke of changing for someone, stopping midway through. “How about we see what’s next on the list,” he said, closing the instrument’s cover.

“Who did you write that for?” Charlotte asked, placing her hand on his arm.

“Honestly,” he said solemnly, looking at her. “I wrote it after Eliza left me—it was a long time ago and I was convinced if I could just change, if I could be a better man, then she wouldn’t leave. I had a lot of self-doubt back then, did some stupid things,” he said.

Charlotte slid her hand down his arm to take his hand in hers. “That must have been painful, I’m sorry,” she said, leaning her head on his shoulder and squeezing his hand. “Feeling ‘not enough’ is terrible,” she took his hand and kissed it, knowing the feeling well.

Sidney rested his head on hers and they sat for several moments, enjoying the closeness. “Okay—let’s up. We need to make it through this list. Reading and poetry are next,” he said, standing then leading Charlotte to the library set.

She quickly picked up a book from the sofa— _Furred Animals of Australia._ “This seems a bit out of place,” she said of the book clearly from the twentieth century. She flipped through the pages. “I never even knew there was something called a quoll—cute.”

“Diana is consulting on the next _Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries_ movie. It must have something to do with that,” Sidney said as he reviewed the books on a nearby table.

Sidney took the second volume of Dodsley’s _Poems by Eminent Ladies_ and settled onto the sofa while Charlotte perused the shelves, gently removing a book, looking at it then returning it until she came across a red leather edition—another book that seemed out of place, not because of the date, but because of the subject. She let out a soft giggle as she paged through the slight tome. Sidney looked up from Lady Montague’s _Town Eclogues_ and watched her smile as she turned the pages.

“What has you so giddy?” he asked.

Charlotte blushed lightly. “I’m just surprised that your sister has an illustrated edition of Cleland’s _Fanny Hill_. It doesn’t really seem like her thing,” she smiled at Sidney then briefly glanced back down at the salacious images before opting to return the book to the shelf.

“Diana has many interests and, I must admit, I am always surprised by her and I always learn something new. I am really lucky to have her in my life,” he said as Charlotte resumed her browsing.

“Being one of twelve, you must have many interesting stories about your siblings—tell me, what is it like? The holidays must be absolutely insane,” Sidney said, closing his book and leaning back on the sofa, eager to hear about Charlotte’s family.

“It’s not terribly interesting,” Charlotte said, keeping her back to him. “Your family is lovely.”

“I really want to know. Tell me about your mother and father,” he said, trying to encourage her to share.

Charlotte ran her fingers along the shelves and kept her eyes on the books as she began. “I was an only child until I was nearly seven. That’s when my parents had a series of twins and triplets. It was crazy, but fun too," she said, and without seeing her face, Sidney could feel that she was smiling. 

"Then my mother got sick and died when I turned sixteen and before I hit seventeen my father remarried,” she said and inhaled deeply as she considered saying anything more.

“I’m sorry,” Sidney said softly, wondering if he had overstepped by pressing her to share.

She took her time and continued as she pulled out an early edition of Richardson’s _Clarissa_. “I just really didn’t seem to fit into the new family—I was the only one who looked like my mother, everyone else looked like my father. I don’t know if you can relate to how that feels,” she turned and looked at him, thought for a moment, and gave him a weak smile. “Actually, I guess you can.”

Sidney looked at her and gave her a knowing smile, growing increasingly concerned for her story.

She again turned away from him. “It was right before I was going to university and I came home one day to find my stepmother had taken over my mother’s study—which I know was her right. But instead of crating them up, she just threw away my mother’s books with the rubbish. I salvaged what I could, but some of my favorites were lost,” she said, replacing the edition of _Clarissa_. “Everything just seemed to unravel from there. I heard my step-mother’s friends talk about how it would be better when I was gone since I was a constant reminder to my father of his first wife. I left for university and never really went back,” she said, unable to read the titles of the books in front of her through her tear-filled eyes.

Sidney looked at her, trying to find the right words, but was at a loss. He could hear her swallow hard and he stood as she continued.

“I did try though, but they always spent the holidays with her parents and there wasn’t a lot of room, they said, for me. Then it just became easier to stay at school and work to make extra money. I did invite my father to come to hear one of the first readings of my book, but he doesn’t like to go more than five miles from home,” she said, her voice cracking. “But I saw pictures of them both on a cruise right before that, so I guess he just didn’t want to see me. I don’t blame them. It seems I can’t really do things right by them,” she said, shaking her head.

Sidney could see her raise her hands and wipe her eyes as he stood behind her.

“Excuse me, I need the restroom,” she said, not looking at him as she tried to leave.

“Charlotte,” he said softly and gently turned her to him and enfolded her in his arms.

She collapsed into his chest and released the tears she worked to hold back for years. 

Sidney held her tightly and lovingly stroked her hair for several minutes, strengthening his embrace each time she tried to pull away. He couldn’t imagine what she’d been through on her own. All of her interviews he watched that reminded him of his terrible interactions with the press flashed through his mind. At least he had his family—and even though there were several stressed relationships then—he knew they always supported him. He couldn’t imagine doing all of it alone as she had. No matter what ultimately would happen between him and Charlotte, then and there, Sidney promised himself that he would always be her friend and would never abandon her.

“Sidney,” she said and lifted her head from his chest. “I’m so sorry, I’ve never talked about that before. I’ve ruined all this…your beautiful evening.”

He lowered his arms to encircle her waist. “Absolutely not. I want to know you, the real you, and that’s what we’re doing here. I want to share with you and I want you to share with me—I feel incredibly honored that you trusted me enough to tell me, to be yourself with me,” he said as he lifted his hand to wipe away a stray tear. “Everybody has a bit of body armor they wear to protect themselves and love is about trying to break it down. You have to see who a person really is and connect to break that armor,” he said, noticing how her eyes widened at the mention of ‘love.’

Charlotte moved back a half step, feeling a bit exhausted by the tears as well as his declaration.

“I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant—at least not yet. I like you and I’m not going to lie; I want to head toward love if it’s right—that is my intention,” he said, keeping his eyes locked with hers. “I’m not trying to force anything, but you should know that I’m not looking for a fling. I want something real and you’re the first person I’ve really wanted this with,” he confessed, never having been so direct in his life. He could see that she was evaluating all she just heard and he was desperate for her to speak.

“Yes,” she said softly, looking tenderly at him.

He showed his mischievous smile. “Is that a ‘yes, we are on the same page’ or is that a ‘yes, you’re just looking for some S&M fling?’” he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Yes,” she said, taking a step toward him. “I already told you I like you, Mr. Sidney Parker. I want to go on this journey with you,” she smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. They looked lovingly at each other as Sidney gently caressed her cheek for several long moments.

“So what’s next on your agenda tonight, Sir?” Charlotte asked, breaking the silence.

“I don’t know about you, but I could use some dinner,” he said, taking her hand, leading her to the long dining table and pulling out her chair at the head.

“So we’re going to go off script here as well,” Sidney said. “According to Arthur, if we stayed true to period, we’d be eating devilled kidneys or potentially some type of pigeon. I’ll be right back.” Sidney returned moments later with a warming cart and promptly served squash ravioli with walnut butter sauce. “I think comfort food was the right choice,” he said, pouring Charlotte another glass of wine.

Sidney turned to take his place at the far end of the long table, quickly realising that was not going to do, and moved the fine china, crystal, and silver to sit next to Charlotte.

After spending a good two hours enjoying Arthur’s entrées, sides, and many samples of Heather’s desserts, Charlotte helped Sidney clean up the plates. “Anything left on that list,” she asked, checking to ensure she hadn’t spilled anything on the magnificent gown.

“It’s not on the list but would you do me the honor of a dance?” he asked, as he removed his phone from his pocket and hit play. He bowed and extended his hand.

“I think that phone may be a violation of Diana’s rules,” she joked as she curtsied and accepted his hand.

Once they found each other’s gaze, there were no more words. They stayed focused on the future they saw in the other’s eyes as they effortlessly waltzed around the loft. Neither knew the time that had passed and would have continued their dance if it wasn’t for the alarm on Sidney’s phone. He released Charlotte and fumbled for the device, quickly silencing it.

“I’m sorry. I forgot the time. We should get going,” he said reluctantly. He took Charlotte’s hand and kissed it gently. “Thank you, Ms. Heywood, for a most wonderful evening.”

Charlotte smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Parker.” She reluctantly removed her hand and headed to change.

*****

It had been nearly twenty minutes and Charlotte was still in the dressing room. Sophia was waiting downstairs and Sidney wondered if he should just risk it and take Charlotte home instead, knowing if he did the way he was currently feeling, that would most certainly make it difficult to take it slow.

Sidney knocked lightly on the door. “Charlotte, are you alright?”

Charlotte was half-dressed, the quick release on the stays hadn’t worked. In fact, they were now tighter and very uncomfortable. She had been trying to figure out how to pull the garment off without damaging it. Reluctantly she answered, “Sidney, I’m somewhat trapped in my clothing. Can you please help me?”

Sidney slowly opened the door and steadied himself at the sight of her in her revealing underclothes, with her breasts nearly entirely exposed thanks to the tight bodice. Charlotte covered her chest with her arms and turned her back to him. “Please, it’s actually hard to breathe,” she said, feeling horribly foolish.

He thought of trying to make a joke, but he needed to focus all of his effort on chasing the idea of ravishing her on the nearby chaise longue from his head. He unknotted the ties and pulled the fabric loose, fully separating the bodice as Charlotte supported it with her arms. He couldn't stop himself. Sidney slowly traced the curve of her spine from her waist to her neck with the back of his fingers through the thin muslin, resting his hand on her bare shoulder and lowering his lips to the curve of her neck. “Charlotte,” he whispered, his breath traveling down her chest with the utterance, making her shiver. He placed a gentle kiss on the soft skin and let his lips linger. “Come with me to the shore next weekend,” he said, kissing her shoulder, his hands encircling her waist, his fingers expanding to embrace her hips. “I have a cottage on the water.”

Charlotte pressed against him, her heart racing as every smoldering desire for him was immediately ablaze.

“We can leave on Friday,” he said, pulling her harder against him as he placed a wet kiss on her jaw then moved his lips to kiss and nibble her earlobe.

“Thursday, we should leave Thursday afternoon,” she said breathlessly, turning her head to meet his lips with hers. The tender kiss turned increasingly passionate and Charlotte began to release her arms, letting the bodice slip.

Sidney quickly held it up with his hands and broke the kiss. “Not here,” he said reluctantly and apologetically, his lower lip red from her bite as he pulled away. “Let’s go to the shore—I want this to be special.”

Charlotte nodded, catching her breath and reclaiming hold of the bodice. “We can leave Thursday morning—or maybe Wednesday, that’s better,” she smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi—If you’d like to see the earrings, here they are… https://www.antiquejewellerycompany.com/shop/georgian-18ct-gold-earrings/
> 
> On a personal note (and I hope this is okay to talk about) — I really want to support Sanditon Season 2 as much as I can but I’m not very clever at posts/tweets—so I try to write stories 😊. I saw a few tweets/posts about people wanting to know my identity and thought I’d just let everyone know today, it’s not really a secret, then I thought, nope—drive posts/tweets for Sanditon! (Thank you for asking and for the idea Anon581!) We’re all here to get our Season 2 and hoping that driving #hashtags and posts, which Anon does amazingly well with those fabulous stories, helps. We can make it a game —but I’m sure it’s going to be a fairly easy solve. Hope that doesn't sound like I'm being too foolish or jerky!
> 
> Okay—so this may be the thing that reveals me since I’ve tweeted about her. Yes, Disco Darling, Butter is real and she is a wonderful eight-year-old golden. Unlike Charlotte who received hers later in life, I’ve had Butter since I rescued her as a puppy and she gives me lots of condescending looks when I do stupid things and wonders why we seem to have the same show on all the time. And yes, the embarrassing demand for belly rubs is relentless.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for clicking on my story and being so kind! As always, I hope this works—most definitely a suspension of disbelief chapter—as they all are! It's kinda silly in some places 😊. Quick apology for any typos and more importantly, for making someone throw up here—but you are a model! And to all of those who found me out—I’m totally right! Team Sanditon is the best mix of MI6, Mossad, Interpol, and the CIA! 😊

Charlotte opened her eyes to the still-dark room, realizing it was not yet dawn and she was wide awake. She smiled thinking of the night before then snuggled her new Mantas Ezcaray wool blanket—the gift that awaited her for the ride home. The note on the soft, cornflower blue work of art simply said, _Keep Warm – Sidney_. Sophia carried it up last night as she was under strict instructions from Sidney to escort Charlotte to her door as well on her walk with Butter because of the late hour. According to Sophia, the unique color was shipped in from Spain that day and she had gone to the DHL hub at Heathrow to pick it up after taking Diana home. Together with the daffodils, Charlotte was feeling fairly cherished and adored and couldn’t wait for the upcoming weekend—really wanting it to start as early as Tuesday if possible.

She looked over at Butter, who was flat on her back, paws in the air, lightly snoring. Charlotte quietly picked up her phone and scrolled through her texts from last night. What started out as short comments about enjoying the evening and jokes about Go Fish, evolved into some rather racy bodice remarks, a haiku in appreciation of the taste of Charlotte’s skin, and a very firm command that Sidney not shave before their weekend together for multiple implied reasons that Charlotte could hardly believe she typed and that now made her blush.

Charlotte let out a soft sigh as she hugged her pillow, quickly looking to ensure that she hadn’t stirred Butter. Instead of getting up, she decided to check out the Posy fiction site and see if she could find what, if anything, Zara had written yesterday. “Wow, I’m really behind,” she thought as she saw nearly fifty updates since her last logon and was now rethinking her plan for the day. “I really should review the scripts for all the read throughs with the prospective actresses tomorrow, but maybe I should get some pointers on what to do with ‘Sid’ at the shore,” she thought, almost convincing herself that was a good idea. She scrolled through the stories and located one that aligned with the right time and date she saw Zara, but she also knew the site allowed authors to back- or forward-date their posts, so it was something of a crapshoot.

She could tell Butter was starting to wake and quickly scanned the story and smiled when she read the paragraph about “Sid” secretly purchasing a lovely silk dress from the costume house for “the woman he clearly already admired and most likely, albeit unknowingly, loved.” Charlotte put down the phone and lept out of bed, fearing that if she didn’t run off her excited energy, she might possibly explode.

*****

This was most definitely not where he intended to go when he started his morning run. His dreams of Charlotte were surprisingly, and happily, vivid and it wasn’t until he found himself in front of her building that he realised he was completely and utterly undone. “You can’t be this way tomorrow,” he said to himself, contemplating calling up then deciding against it.

He had already shared with her that he had contracts to review that morning and some exploratory Zoom meetings about potential distribution with ABC in Australia much later that evening. What he didn’t tell her was that he also wanted to get some “supplies” for their weekend. In addition, they both felt a little cooling off before work on Monday was a good idea. After his dreams and now ending up in front of her building, he doubted he’d ever be able to cool off and turned in the direction of his club for a swim.

*****

Butter decidedly wanted to go left this morning and not right and didn’t care what Charlotte desired. Butter was on the trail of something or someone and after some unsuccessful pulling, Charlotte gave in. Just as Charlotte turned the corner, she could see someone in the distance who she thought looked like Sidney cross the bridge ahead. “Okay, no more Posy today, no more dreaming—you’re seeing him everywhere you kook,” she said to herself and laughed. Charlotte pulled Butter to a halt and, by bribing the dog with several treats, they went the other way.

By mid-afternoon, Charlotte was fairly proud of herself. She had made it through all the scenes and identified where there might be some challenges. Tomorrow would be the first time many of these scenes would be read aloud and she was a little nervous. While Sidney had already seen them all, Eliza and Babington had not and she was a touch anxious about their opinions.

Instead of torturing herself by going through all of the scripts again, she opted to figure out what to pack for the upcoming weekend. She also wanted to come up with something for Sidney. He’d already shown her more kindness than she’d known in quite some time. Clearly, he had more resources than she did, but Charlotte didn’t feel intimidated, she just felt at a loss for ideas.

Her fruitless brainstorm was interrupted by an unexpected knock. Butter looked up and didn’t bother moving—not when Charlotte opened the door, or when Esther walked in and plopped down heavily on the sofa. “I’m bored and I don’t like being bored,” Esther said, looking annoyed at Charlotte before closing her eyes, throwing her head back on the armrest and letting out an exaggerated sigh. “What’s with the daffodils?” she asked, keeping her eyes closed. 

Charlotte evaded her question—thinking it best to avoid talking about all that had happened with Sidney since the cove until their ‘something’ was defined. “What’s wrong? What happened with the actress—Laura? Right?”

“She’s lovely and she and Julia hit it off. I’m just starting to feel like nothing I’m doing is really hitting the mark. I don’t know—I just feel like what I need isn’t far off, but I can’t seem to find it,” she said, contemplating if a little day drinking would help.

Reading her mind, Charlotte asked, “I don’t have champagne, wine?”

“Yes please—just one…or two…I think we both have big days tomorrow,” she said. “Hopefully you’ll get your lead actress and maybe I’ll find what I’m looking for.”

*****

Sidney pulled into the community centre and parked, wondering if this was really the right place for his discussion with Tom. It has slipped Tom’s mind that Monday was a school holiday and the children had the day off. Tom had promised to escort Jenny to a special karate class and needed to relocate their breakfast from a private table at Percy & Founders to the parent’s viewing area.

Pulling up his collar, Sidney walked into the crowded building, trying to avoid eye contact, and quickly found Tom dealing with a crying child who was not his own. “Uncle Sidney can help,” Jenny said, stroking her friend Lydia’s shoulder.

Tom leaned close to Sidney. “The girl’s braid came undone and she won’t stop crying. She had a sleepover with Jenny last night and her parents aren’t here. I have no idea how to braid hair,” Tom said, looking flustered as he tried to calm the girl.

Sidney quickly knelt and braided Lydia’s hair then wiped away her tears. “You look beautiful, now go kick some ass,” Sidney said, to the frustration of Tom. Lydia kissed Sidney’s cheek in thanks and quickly followed Jenny to class after giving Sidney a thumbs up.

“Why must you encourage the children—you know I’m going to hear from her parents about the ‘ass’ comment,” Tom said, rolling his eyes.

“I’m the rascal uncle—that means I can say things like that,” Sidney said, giving Tom a loving pat on the back.

In hushed tones, Sidney started to explain his role in the film then waited for a potentially emotional response from Tom.

After a short moment of silence, Tom whispered, “I’m really happy to hear that you’re doing this.” Tom reached over and squeezed Sidney’s hand. “I’m sorry if you thought I’d react in any way other than supportive,” he said, surprising Sidney. “I’ve been working with Mom’s old friend Susan on some things and she’s really helped me.” Tom looked at Sidney sincerely, “you’ll let me know if I can help with anything, yes?”

Sidney looked at him, admittedly astounded. “Um, yes,” he tried to start. “I actually may need your help with Eliza and her media engine,” he said. “Can we talk next week?”

Tom nodded then his attention was drawn back to the class where Jenny was matched against a boy more than twice her size. Tom gave Sidney a knowing look as Jenny decimated the boy in one move. “That’s my girl,” Tom said, smiling.

*****

Too much coffee combined with being just a touch nervous was the cause of Charlotte’s second trip to the production office ladies’ room in under an hour. She had yet to see Sidney that morning, but last night they talked and, after evaluating everything that needed to be done, it was fairly clear that while the weekend would start early, it wouldn’t begin until noon on Friday. If they could find a potential lead that day—and that was a big IF—Sidney would be wrapped up all week with a variety of rehearsals and “onscreen chemistry tests” to see if an audience would think he and the actress compatible. Charlotte was not too keen on those tests and would rather they leave early to do their own experimenting.

Apparently, she wasn’t the only one feeling a little nervous. “Are you okay?” Charlotte asked, hearing the sound of heavy heaving from the next stall.

“Yes, thank you, sorry,” a weak voice said, heaving again.

Charlotte finished and quickly washed her hands. “Do you need me to hold your hair or anything?” she asked, trying to determine who it might be.

The door opened and what looked to be a very beautiful yet terrified young woman exited and steadied herself against the sink. She then leaned her head under the faucet and took a long drink.

“I can get you a glass of water if you like,” Charlotte said, concerned the woman was about to pass out.

“I’m sorry, I’m just really nervous. I didn’t realize I’d be reading for Sid Parker, Eliza Campion and a Lord today,” she said, taking a paper towel and wiping her face.

Charlotte felt a little slighted that she wasn’t included in the list but brushed the exclusion aside. “They’re all just people like you and me. There really isn’t anything to worry about.”

“It’s just that I can’t get this scene right and it’s not like any of the other actresses are going to run it through with me,” she said, gripping the pages tightly in her hand.

Charlotte extracted the pages from her grip and looked at them. “I have a meeting in a couple of minutes, but how about I run them with you?”

“Really, that would be great! I’m Bianca. Are you like an assistant or intern here?”

Charlotte gave her a weak smile, now regretting the offer, and bit her tongue—the last thing this woman needed to know was that she was actually responsible for not only the pages but the entire script. “There’s a small rehearsal space just around the corner—follow me.”

*****

Sidney leaned against the conference table waiting for the others to arrive while he sipped his tea. He was still stunned at how well his conversation with Tom went that morning and thought it actually might be fun to have him on the set. The unexpected sight of Babington as he walked through the door literally caused him to spit out his earl grey.

“Don’t start,” Babington said, as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and paused to catch his breath. “I stopped by Julie Nunya’s workshop on the way for my new suit and she convinced me to try them out. Damn, they’re hot.”

“Um, not so much my friend,” Sidney said, knowing that he would never be able to get the image of Babington in black leather pants out of his head.

“No—they are physically hot. I’m dying here,” Babington said, pouring himself a glass of water from the pitcher in the center of the table. “I don’t know what she lined them with, but I feel like my nether regions are in a sauna,” he complained as he downed the entire glass.

“Again, not an image I needed,” Sidney thought to himself. “Hey, Tom Jones, you might want to watch it with the water—how hard are those pants to peel open?”

Babington gave Sidney a frustrated look as he poured another glass. “I swear, if she wasn’t so good with her hands, I’d find another tailor.”

Esther kept her eyes on her briefing books as she entered the room and placed them on the table.

“What do you think of my friend’s new pants there, Esther?” Sidney asked.

She turned and a typically stoic-in-these-situations Esther let out what could only be called a guffaw. “They have a fine, glossy sheen,” she said, quickly bringing her smile back under control.

Babington turned to her and gave her a light laugh. “Yes, I guess they do,” he laughed harder and extended his hand. “Babington, and you are…”

“Esther—casting,” she gave only the weakest of smiles. 

Babington held her hand for longer than needed and Esther did not resist. “Well,” she said looking at him from tip to toe, “points for bravery.” She removed her hand from his and gave him a glance that said “until next time” as she exited the room.

Babington turned to Sidney with a look Sidney had never seen from him before—contentment. “These leather pants might just be the best purchase of my life,” he said, downing another entire glass.

*****

Barely outside the conference room door, Esther had a strange feeling of serene satisfaction—a feeling she was most certainly not familiar with and she believed that she had found something important, or at least was headed in the right direction. She had little time to reflect on the feeling as Eliza unexpectedly shoved a phone in her face.

“Esther,” Eliza said curtly, clearly in a hurry. “What’s her name?”

Esther looked at the grainy image that appeared as if it had been taken through the observation window of the conference room. “Charlotte. Charlotte Heywood, she’s…” Esther started, but Eliza quickly cut her off.

“And she’s here today?” Eliza asked.

Esther nodded, clearly annoyed. “She’ll be in shortly.”

Eliza gave her a brief smile and brushed past her to enter the conference room.

“Actresses!” Esther said, exasperated. “I’m so done with them.”

*****

“Lord Babington,” Eliza said as she glided into the room, giving him a deep curtsy.

Babington tried to hold back his laugh and Sidney simply rolled his eyes.

“Not necessary, Eliza, good to see you,” Babington said as he turned to pour himself yet another glass of water.

“Sid,” she said and kissed Sidney on the cheek then sat at the head of the table.

Sidney took a deep breath. He had hoped Charlotte would arrive before Eliza and really wasn’t looking forward to their first meeting. Eliza liked to be the queen bee in every room and, while he knew Charlotte could handle herself, he’d like to preemptively avoid Eliza’s first strike. He paced by the conference room door awaiting Charlotte, which is why Emily almost hit him as she entered.

“Sorry, Mr. Parker,” she said as she hurriedly headed to the front of the room. “We’ll get started shortly—you’ll find all of the profiles in the briefing books. If you have any specific questions you’d like me to ask or scenes you want the actresses to attempt, just use the mic on the table and I’ll hear it in my earpiece,” she said as she went to activate the observation window. “I know it’s going to be a long day so just signal me if you need a break.”

“Oh, I already have our girl,” Eliza said, turning to the entire group with a smirk. “When you see her, you will most definitely fall on your knees and thank me,” she said, knowing that once Charlotte—who she believed was most certainly no threat to her—got the role, she could start full force on her real objective, winning back Sidney.

“Why are they in there?” Emily asked as she activated the window.

“That’s my girl,” Eliza said, leaning back in her chair. “Turn on the volume.”

“Well Bianca, that was an interesting take,” Charlotte said, knowing she had no intention of letting this actress play her lead character. “What you need to remember is that this scene is where our heroine goes from apologizing to defending herself against the tongue lashing she was treated to the night before. She first behaves as etiquette demands, but then, because of his reaction, she is driven to defend herself—it’s a deeply personal scene for her as she is declaring to him that she is not some weak wallflower.”

Bianca looked at her, somewhat confused.

“You play the hero this time,” Charlotte said as she launched into the day-after-the-ball dialogue at the construction site. “Our conversation at the party…”

Bianca looked at Charlotte as she finished. “Um, wow. Okay. You know, my agent forced me to try acting—I’m going to stick with modeling,” she said and hugged Charlotte in thanks.

Sidney was both confused and amazed at Charlotte’s performance and looked at Babington. Babington’s look displayed the same reaction and together they stared questioningly at Eliza who just smiled. “That’s Charlotte,” she said, pleased that selling her would be so much easier than she thought.

“Char…Charlotte,” Sidney cleared his voice as he pressed the intercom. “Can you please join us in the conference room?”

Charlotte turned bright red, not realizing she and Bianca had been observed, and wondered if she could somehow be in trouble for helping the actress with the lines.

Sidney intended to meet her in the hallway, but Eliza interrupted his plan. “The minute I saw her I thought—she’s totally Austen’s uncultured, grain-fed heroine, right?”

“How do you know Charlotte?” Sidney asked, again his voice slightly cracking, as Babington handed him a glass of water.

Eliza tried to weigh exactly how she wanted to play this and happily was excused from having to form a response as Charlotte entered the room. “I’m sorry I’m late—that actress was really nervous and I was trying to help her,” she said. She mustered all of her courage and pushed aside whatever history Eliza had with Sidney and extended her hand. “Charlotte Heywood, it’s lovely to meet you.”

Eliza stood up and hugged Charlotte with as much affection as she genuinely could and Charlotte shot Sidney a muddled look. “Sweetheart, you were just fabulous,” she said and released her embrace. “How did you get into character so quickly?”

Babington was simply enjoying the entire scene and let out a light laugh. “She wrote her,” he said, his pants making a strange sound as he tried to sit in the low chair.

Eliza quickly hid any surprise or embarrassment for not knowing. “Then doesn’t that make her the absolute best choice—she knows the inspiration, she knows the lines and she looks super farmer/country—not London at all,” Eliza said, placing her bets.

“I’m sorry, I’m confused,” Charlotte said, looking around annoyed, resting her eyes on Sidney.

Sidney ran his fingers through his hair. “How about we get through all of the actresses and we can revisit this,” he said, hoping they’d all be wowed by at least one of the candidates.

Still befuddled, Charlotte took her seat at the table as Emily introduced the first actress.

*****

After several painful hours, it was fairly clear the only choice was Charlotte. Well, it was clear to Sidney, Eliza, and Babington. Charlotte had no idea what was going on and why they all kept looking at her after they finished with every actress.

Charlotte sorted her notes, finding it hard to support any of the actresses and wondering if this film would ever get made. She looked up to see them all staring at her again. “Will someone tell me what is going on?” she asked firmly, finally fed up with it all.

“You’re Charlotte Heywood,” Eliza said as if christening a ship or discovering the new world.

“Yes, I know,” she said, looking at Babington for some explanation since Sidney seemed to be speechless and Eliza didn’t make any sense. 

“Dear,” he said, his pants making another awkward noise as he rose from the chair, “we saw you earlier today running those lines and quite frankly, you are the best incarnation of Austen’s heroine that any of us have seen or could have even imagined. We think you are perfect for the part.”

She looked at him as if she was the victim of a mean joke, but his sincere smile made her confident it was not. “I’m not an actress—I did some little plays at university and worked in the wardrobe department for a while, but I have never studied and have no experience,” she said, her eyes pleading with Babington to stop the idea of this from growing or taking hold.

Sidney kept flipping through the stack of photos of the actresses they had rejected, realizing that the only person who could play Charlotte was in fact the woman who wrote her. It was the only authentic depiction there could be. “Charlotte, you are very good,” Sidney said softly, finding his voice.

Charlotte turned to him and shook her head.

“I know it’s a lot to think about—we should at least do some tests,” he said, his eyes asking her to trust him.

Charlotte sat down in the chair beside him, shocked by what everyone was saying but also a little excited at potentially a new door opening.

“I have a wonderful idea—let’s just test chemistry now,” Eliza said, grabbing one of the scripts. “That might put you in a better place.” She pulled Charlotte up to stand near her. “Do that scene you did earlier with Sid now.” Eliza leaned in and whispered, “just think about a time you were really upset with someone you were extremely attracted to…someone you deeply cared about—like Esther.”

Charlotte was again confused by Eliza and instead remembered how angry she was with Sidney when he dropped her in the water.

Sidney flubbed the line, “I don’t think of you at all, Miss Heywood,” a couple of times and they needed to restart the scene. On the third try, it was fabulous and the sexual tension in the room was palpable. Eliza applauded with glee. Even Babington had to give them a nod.

Both Charlotte and Sidney kept their gaze and started to smirk.

“I knew this would work!” Eliza said proudly as she started ripping up the photos of the actresses to ensure that Sidney would have no ready copies in case he was attracted to or interested in any of them.

“Here is what I think you both must do _right now,”_ Eliza commanded, not really understanding what she was doing. “And don’t worry Charlotte, I’m sure Esther will be okay with it,” she said waving her hand then picking up another stack of photos to destroy. “You need to do a character immersion with each other. Both of you, take a few days together, really isolate yourselves, work on your characters, get to know their skin, and delve very deep inside them. Sid, I know how much you need to become your character, take on their feelings and own their desires—I’m certain Charlotte, as the writer, can really fulfill all of those urges and help you penetrate the character. And Charlotte, I know you have a lot to learn about filming and I’m sure Sidney can teach you the ins and outs of it all—where everything goes and how everything fits. He’s incredibly thorough.”

Still looking at Charlotte, Sidney whispered, “so I guess the weekend starts this afternoon.”

Charlotte took a deep, happy breath. “Indeed it does.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not selling anything, but really, those blankets are AMAZING! Just a quick FYI in case you want to read the next chapter, it will probably be the weekend or early next week before I can post—need to focus on the J.O.B. Yay work! 😊


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! And sorry, I know this chapter is somewhat foolish, but I couldn’t leave Eliza alone just yet—was having too much fun—and was clearly in a weird mood when writing and had to get all the silly out to get to the serious. I’ll do better with the next one. Have a great day!

It took everything for Sidney not to openly take Charlotte’s hand and bound from the conference room. What helped him resist were two things: first, he wondered if Charlotte truly understood the change accepting this role would most certainly mean for her life. Second, his sheer astonishment at Eliza’s support of Charlotte as the lead and now her current and increasingly peculiar actions.

“Eliza, you really don’t need to do that,” he said as he watched her tear up the last of the photos and push them forcefully down into the rubbish bin.

“Teamwork,” she said, looking at him with a broad smile. “We’ve got to get this film up and shooting, right?” she stepped close to Sidney, placed her hand on his arm, and looked at him thoughtfully. “I know it will be tough and it will take all the stamina you’ve got, but the faster you get her really able to take direction and perform, the sooner we’ll all be on set and away on location together,” she said, squeezing his bicep. After a moment, she turned. “I’m off,” she said, retrieving her Birkin from the table. As she headed for the door, she curtsied to Babington then stopped and quickly gave Sidney a peck on the cheek. She whispered to him, unintentionally loud enough for Charlotte to hear. “Don’t go easy on her—it’s your job to make sure she can hold her own and achieve, so be firm and whip her into shape.”

Stunned, Sidney, Charlotte, and Babington all watched Eliza leave, not removing their eyes from the closed door for several moments.

“Well, apparently you have your work mapped out for you. Good luck,” Babington said with a grin, starting to slightly sweat again. “I need to go and get out of these pants. By the way, where is Esther’s desk? I think she might want to watch me leave,” he said, then let out a hearty roar as he closed the conference room door behind him.

Both Sidney and Charlotte let out the laughs they had held back, with Charlotte nearly doubled over in both amusement and confusion. “What was that?” she asked chuckling, wiping tears from her eyes.

Sidney took her hand. “I think that’s my question. You were amazing—why didn’t you say anything?” he said, his arms encircling her waist and gently pulling her to him.

“I didn’t know,” she said, blushing as she smiled. “Do you really think this could work? I think it will be a tough and long road ahead.”

“You have a lot to think about, and know I’ll help you every step of the way—if you want. I have to be honest though, it’s not the glamorous life everyone thinks it is,” he said, his hands beginning to caress her back.

“I got a taste of that already…” Charlotte said, instinctively lacing her hands behind his neck to draw him to her. “…When we were so rudely interrupted,” she ended her words with her lips on his, delivering a soft kiss that was more than reciprocated as Sidney traced his hands lightly down her hips then gripped her hungrily against him. 

After several moments of Charlotte enjoying the feeling of being in Sidney’s embrace, it hit her and she felt silly for what she had started. “Why are we still here?” she pulled her lips from his and asked, forcibly freeing herself from his arms. “Let’s go,” she said, picking up her things from the conference table. She opened the door and looked back at Sidney, “according to what I just heard, I have a lot to learn and you should know, I’m a more than eager student.”

*****

Sidney pulled into his building garage, parked in front of the lift, and put on his hazards. “Most everything is already in the back, but I need to just grab a few things—I think it might be best if you stay here and wait instead of coming up…or we’ll never make it there,” he said with a smirk, happy he got what he thought they’d need online on Sunday for same-day pickup. “There’s a small market near the cottage where we can purchase some fresh food and other essentials.”

Charlotte waved as he entered the lift, marking the time. She was happy to have at least gathered up some things yesterday since she was barely able to make a mental list of what she still needed to pack before he returned. “Six minutes?” she said in disbelief as he emerged from the lift with a small leather duffel. “Men!”

He quickly threw the bag in the back and hopped in. “We’ll swing by your place and then I have a couple of quick calls I need to take on the way—I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course, but I actually have something of a wrench,” she said apologetically. “I asked Marj to watch Butter this weekend but with the schedule change, I realized I really can’t leave Butter with someone for an entire week. I’ve never left her like that before and I don’t think Marj could put up with her drama for that long. It takes a lot of patience.”

“I just figured Butter was coming with us. I haven’t known you as long as Butter and I already don’t like being apart from you” he said, getting out of the car again as he clicked open the liftgate. “Come help me.”

“What is all this?” Charlotte asked, looking at several boxes.

“I had a little time on Sunday and ordered some things. Here it is. I figured we couldn’t have her sliding around,” he said as he handed Charlotte a dog hammock for the back seat. “And honestly, I didn’t want the nails on the leather,” he admitted.

She held it in her hands, shocked by his thoughtfulness as well as by what looked like a ninety-day supply of chews in the box. “Why did you get three-months of dog treats?” she laughed.

“I actually didn’t know how many a dog goes through in a day—I thought maybe like five, six or so,” he said. “Hey, I admit, I am a really bad shopper.”

“Do not give her more than one a day, trust me,” Charlotte said as she hooked up the hammock on one side while Sidney did the other. “Thank you, Sidney,” she said while he finished. “Really, Sidney,” waiting for him to look at her. “Thank you.”

*****

It took Charlotte much more than six minutes but she was fairly happy it was less than thirty, twenty-nine to be exact while Sidney circled her building as there was no immediate parking to be had. She haphazardly added things to her half-packed bag, hoping she had what she needed and was thankful that she remembered Butter’s kibble at the last moment.

Sidney kept circling, waiting for her text to let him know when she was ready, then realized with a chime that her phone was on the seat. “Great,” he thought as he picked up her phone and saw the Posy new fiction alert. “This is not good. She’s going to have A LOT of unfulfilled expectations,” he said to himself as he put the phone down and parked as a spot opened up in front of her building.

After some awkwardness of getting Butter into the unfamiliar car and a long wait for to-go coffees, they were finally off and Sidney thought it felt perfect—all he had to do was get two quick calls out of the way and the rest of the time was theirs. The first call was to Karla, his head of public relations who he had confidentially informed earlier in the day that he was producing the film and they’d need a holding statement.

“Mr. Parker – just a few questions on that other task,” Karla started right as she answered the phone, knowing she had limited time and a tough job ahead.

“Sure, and again, it’s Sidney,” he said, happy he had a former investigative reporter working to represent his interests for once.

“Is this a good time? Am I free to talk?” Karla asked, wondering exactly what Sidney was doing as she could hear Butter’s heavy panting in the background.

“Yes, and yes,” Sidney said, petting Butter who seemed to only want his and not Charlotte’s attention right at that particular moment.

“I’m meeting with Mrs. Campion’s press team tomorrow to outline what she can and can’t say publicly about the film or any of those working on it. Is there a stipulation in her contract that would penalize her or terminate her from the film if she violates the media policy?” she asked. “I’ve studied her strategy and it would be good to have some leverage.”

“I’m speaking with Elena in a little while. We’ll get you the details,” he said, trying to gently push Butter away as she licked his face. “And thanks – I know Eliza’s crew aren’t the politest people to deal with, but I’m sure you’ll get them under control.”

“She’s just not used to being in a car,” Charlotte said, after the “quick” thirty-minute call ended, trying to get Butter to lay in the back.

“I understand,” he said, taking Charlotte’s hand in his. “This is all new to me too.”

Charlotte waited a few moments. “Do you really think Eliza will be that difficult to control?” she asked, regretting she said it considering all the publicity already out there.

Sidney gave her a weak smile, still holding her hand. “I don’t put anything past her. Her behavior today was odd at best. I’d like to think we are all older and wiser, but I know she likes games and I’m not ready to trust her just yet.”

“I…” Charlotte started as Butter again forced her front paws on top of the center console to stand between them. After a few minutes of jostling and Sidney’s face wet again with licks, Charlotte settled her in the back and decided to abandon any further Eliza conversations.

“What music do you have?” she asked, reaching for the radio. “You know, this could really make or break the entire trip.”

Before he could stop her, Charlotte flipped on his last playlist and froze. “Really?”

“Huge sensation, great beat, wonderful lyrics, I will not be ashamed—they are amazing,” he said, giving her a confident and stubborn look. “And they make me happy,” not showing any smile.

“No judgment, just surprise. Really surprised,” she said as she turned up _Hungry Like the Wolf_ and couldn’t help but sing along.

They both laughed as they ridiculously messed up the words on several of the most popular songs and even Butter left them alone with their fun. Sidney quickly stopped the game as he turned off the music when a call came in. “I’m sorry, I really need to take this with the lawyer…I’ll be brief,” he said, kissing her hand then releasing it with a sincere smile.

“Elena—thanks, two things,” he said, bracing himself, half expecting Butter to yet again interrupt the call.

“Sure, por favor comience,” she said, her melodious voice filling the car, making contract negotiations seem amazingly beautiful.

Sidney’s second “quick call’ was most definitely not quick. Charlotte turned her attention from the call to look at the rolling cliff hills in the distance thinking how lovely it would be to take a lingering walk in the summer there, with the sea breeze in her hair.

Her musing was suddenly interrupted—“is that pungent smell inside or outside?” she wondered, trying, unsuccessfully to find the window controls. “Well, he’s at least comfortable with me,” she concluded, realizing the odor was most certainly inside. She could barely wait for him to hang up the call. “Can you please open a window?” she asked, seeing an entirely new side of Sidney and was a little flabbergasted.

“Do you need me to stop? Are you feeling okay?” he asked, fairly concerned.

They quickly looked at each other and Charlotte turned to the backseat where Butter had the wrappers of several dog chews littered about as she laid on her side with half of a chew hanging from her mouth. “Pull over. Now!” Charlotte commanded as she searched for the roll of poop bags in her purse. The three-hour car ride ended up taking five thanks to numerous emergency Butter stops where she clearly found it fun to leave her mark in multiple scenic locations along the coast.

It was dark by the time they arrived at the cottage and while Charlotte couldn’t see the water, the sound of the crashing waves and the clean smell of the crisp air revived her from the arduous and odorous ride.

“It’s small and what I like to call rustic,” Sidney said of the historic gamekeeper’s stone cottage. “I’ve updated it with some amenities—heat, hot water—but it’s most certainly not fancy and there isn’t a television just an old record player and a radio. I probably should have told you that ahead of time,” he apologized as he unloaded the bags and supplies.

“I’m sure it’s perfect,” she said and smiled weakly as Butter pulled on her leash to leave another mark.

The cabin was cozy and true to its 18th-century design but with better amenities and updated more than Sidney described. One large room included a modern kitchen, dining area and book-shelf lined living room with a fireplace that also heated the bedroom beyond. “It looks like the caretaker was able to come today,” Sidney said, finding the firewood replenished, fresh sheets and towels, and a couple of staples like milk and eggs in the refrigerator.

After settling a tired Butter on a carpet near the sofa, Charlotte joined Sidney in the kitchen to unpack a few of his purchases and looked at him with concern. “You have five boxes of pasta here, twelve boxes of cookies, two bottles of chocolate sauce, and a jar of peanut butter. You really don’t know how to shop, do you?” she said holding up a jar of olives.

“Sometimes I forget to pay attention to the pack quantities online or check what I might have already put in the cart,” he grimaced as he took out a wheel of aged parmesan cheese and a panettone. “I think I was distracted Sunday.”

“You think? There are over 3,000 in here,” she said, pointing to a box packed full to the brim with condoms.

“Well, I do like to be prepared. I was a scout you know,” he said, taking the box and walking it to the bedroom along with their bags. “Hungry?” he asked as he came back to the kitchen. “Olive? Cookies?”

“Actually, after all of that today,” pointing to Butter, “I really don’t have an appetite. Maybe a glass of wine?”

“Good thinking,” he said, retrieving a bottle from the pantry and pouring two glasses.

Charlotte walked to the large glass doors that appeared to lead to a small patio and looked out at the darkness, hearing the soft patter of rain begin. “This must be a beautiful view of the sea during the day,” she said as Sidney handed her a glass.

“I have a beautiful view right now,” he said looking at her, knowing the line most likely sounded silly but was true. “I’m very happy you’re here,” he beamed and gently clinked her glass.

“I am too—finally,” she said, looking again at Butter who was now watching them. Charlotte turned toward the window as Sidney placed his wine on the adjacent table and gingerly wrapped his arms around her from behind, letting her relax into his chest. He enjoyed the feeling of her and watched in the reflection as she closed her eyes and smiled as he gently kissed her temple. Her smile widened as he moved his lips to the soft skin at her ear, placing tender kisses as he drew her closer to him. Her moan was unexpected, but then he realized it was not Charlotte’s and turned toward the front door where Butter was waiting.

Sidney unlaced his hands from her waist. “I will never purchase any treats for this dog again, I promise,” he said, retrieving a raincoat from a closet near the door.

“I can take her,” Charlotte said, looking for her coat.

“No, why don’t you unpack, I’ll take this shift,” he said, leashing Butter and heading out with a large umbrella.

Charlotte topped off the fine pinot noir and headed to the bedroom. As she sorted through her hasty packing, she found a few things she most definitely would not need and located the lavender lace and silk chemise that she had purchased months before but had yet to wear, thinking this getaway would be the perfect opportunity. After the journey they’d had, she wasn’t quite sure if Sidney would even want to go forward as planned and hoped that she properly interpreted his embrace as a sign to move forward.

Sidney held the umbrella for Butter as she took her time vacating, hopefully, the last of her binge. Thankful for the waterproof case on his phone, Sidney remembered the Posy fiction alert Charlotte received earlier and scrolled the story site, trying to understand the latest and see what she might have read about the imaginary “Sid.” Not understanding the ratings, he clicked on a triple “E” and started to read. He could feel the blood drain from his face as he read. “Multiples…with only his tongue? What the? How?” he swallowed hard. “Is this what she’s expecting?”

“Sidney?” Charlotte called from the front door after waiting for him for some twenty minutes—looking in disbelief as he held an umbrella over her dog while he was getting soaked.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this. Be right in,” he said motioning for her to go inside. He looked back at the phone and kept scrolling. “Well, I bought chocolate sauce, so we could do that, but I don’t think this one is physically possible,” he said aloud. “How much does your mother weigh, Butter? I’m in fairly good shape but I doubt I could hold her up that long,” he pondered how much he could endure and the overall safety risks of the position described for a few minutes.

Butter started to pull toward the door and he nervously followed. After toweling off Butter then himself, Sidney started a fire and sought out Charlotte who sat on the edge of the bed, her face hidden in her hands and making, what sounded like, soft sobs. This most certainly hadn’t been the romantic getaway he planned with his long work calls, sick dog, “rustic” cottage, inedible food combinations, and multi-year condom supply. He sat next to her and gently stroked her back. “I’m sorry Charlotte, I know this hasn’t worked out as I imagined it would. We can head back tomorrow if you like.”

She lifted her head and it was immediately clear she wasn’t crying but laughing and she couldn’t stop her giggles. “You’re wonderful, this place is perfect, it’s me. I must be the most ridiculous and least sexy woman you’ve ever met,” she said, her eyes glassy with tears from her continued laughing. “Not only do I have a dog that soiled her way here across the English countryside, decimated your lawn, and probably has left a smell in your car you’ll never erase, but also, since we weren’t planning to come until this weekend, I just realized I haven’t shaved my legs, um, or really ‘groomed’ anything and didn’t even pack a razor. To add to that, I thought you’d like this,” she said, holding the hem of her new chemise, “and I managed to rip the entire seam trying to remove the tag,” she laughed as she lifted her arm showing him the tear that went halfway down her side. 

Sidney placed his hand on her cheek, his fingers extending to the nape of her neck. “That you’re laughing at all of this…I think you’re the most beautiful, smartest, and sexiest woman I’ve ever known,” he said, his words silencing her laughter and widening her eyes.

“Really?” she asked softly.

“Absolutely,” he said quietly but confidently, as he drew her to him and kissed her with all the care, tenderness, and passion he held for her--giving Charlotte the assurance that she was not only adored and respected but most certainly desired.

*****

Dear Diary,

Today has been one of the best days of my life. I rode in a car. Kissed Sidney Parker. Ate lots of snacks. Had walks every twenty minutes in new places. Was toweled off and tucked in by, again, one Sidney Parker. And now I have the entire living room to myself and a warm fire.

My life is great. I need to find where they hid the treats.

Butter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not done yet, just getting started. 😊 Keep safe and happy, please!
> 
> BTW, a couple of people asked for a picture of the real Butter--I'm figuring that out. I wish I could post here.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and for your kindness! Shortish chapter.

The only way they could be any farther apart was if they opted for the floor—and they’d already been there. Sidney laid bare on the edge of one side of the bed, Charlotte on the other—their breathing finally returning to normal and both fearing that if they touched each other again they would reignite what took hours to subdue. The sheets, blankets, and pillows had disappeared at some point and the fire was all but embers. They looked at each other, not ready to speak. The last several hours were nearly a blur as they both privately pieced their tender, sometimes clumsy, yet intensely torrid experience into a cohesive narrative.

With every blink of his eyes, vivid pictures filled Sidney’s head—Charlotte’s eyes adoring and welcoming, her fingers pulling then gently caressing his hair, her lips on his chest, her teeth nipping at the soft skin of his hips, her tongue trailing down his back, her hands assertive and impatient, but then soothing and comforting. He had given himself over to her so fully that now he wasn’t quite sure what was real or imagined although he was more than certain that at some point he cried—overwhelmed with feelings of being completely whole, known, and accepted. He couldn’t be sure if he had anything to apologize for—as movements seamlessly transition from tentative to passionate to aggressive and at times raw, with Charlotte matching and encouraging every stride. The way she looked at him now, he was confident that regret had no place between them and extended his hand across the bed to her.

“I said ‘fuck’ a lot, didn’t I?” she thought as her mind finally returned to her after its multi-hour respite while her carnal and primal urges fully took over. She had never trusted anyone so entirely to allow such abandon and briefly tried to determine if she had anything to ask forgiveness for but felt no shame or inadequacy, just total acceptance—a rare and precious feeling for her. As she measured the familiar landscape that was now what she considered “her” Sidney across from her, what felt like hundreds of memories flooded into her mind of his lips on her neck, his roaming hands massaging her eager breasts, his stubbled chin brushing the inside of her thighs, his fingers and tongue stroking hungrily. Charlotte beamed as she remembered her own extensive exploration of his body, and how he welcomed her as she did him—completely equal parts of one. She extended her hand to accept his and they laid that way silently for several minutes, expressing all they needed with their eyes and knowing smiles. 

It wasn’t until Sidney shivered slightly, that they appreciated the chill of the autumn night. Charlotte squeezed his hand before rising to fetch the bedding from the floor. Sidney quickly picked up the wrappers and other artifacts of the evening littering the room, thinking it probably best to have a rubbish bin next to the bed going forward. Finished with their self-assigned chores, they simply looked at each other from across the room grinning, neither yet speaking.

“Another?” Sidney asked, finally breaking the silence.

“Yes,” Charlotte said eagerly and instinctively, not admitting even to herself how exhausted and hungry she was, then grasped that he meant another fire. He noticed her misunderstanding and smirked. She threw his pants at him forcefully then pulled on his black turtleneck sweater and headed to the kitchen to find something edible as well as the largest glass of water ever.

She padded quietly through the living room watching where she stepped just in case Butter wasn’t through torturing them with the effects of her gluttony. Charlotte looked over the area and breathed a sigh of relief to see nothing but Butter sleeping peacefully on the sofa and no other evidence of activity on the floor.

After downing two glasses of water, Charlotte considered her gourmet options. “It’s good to know he’s not good at absolutely everything,” she thought as she peered into the pantry. Thinking of what she just experienced, she reconsidered that position. She thought, “well, he’s exceptionally good at the really important stuff.” She loaded a tray with the rather hard-to-slice wedge of the cheese, the barely touched pinot noir, and some nuts and dried apricots she found in the pantry with near, but not yet met, expiration dates.

She quietly passed by Butter again, who simply lifted her head and gave her a look that Charlotte believed resembled a “you go girl” sentiment, and with the way the light filtered through the windows, it truly appeared as if Butter shot her a wink. 

Sidney sat on the floor in front of the now blazing fire. He had watched Charlotte through the tunnel fireplace as she considered her culinary options, admiring how, when she’d lean over, his sweater would ride up and display just the smallest hint of her lovely bum. He reminisced on the transcendental feeling of her under him, moving with him—her laughter when he tickled behind her knee and her demanding grasp as she commanded all of him. “This is terribly silly,” he thought, “to be missing her when I can see her and she’s only seconds away.”

She smiled as she handed him the tray. “I think this is a passable dinner, but we should go to the market tomorrow,” she said as she sat on the floor cross-legged in front of him, unaware of the most tempting view she offered. “Especially if we plan on burning that many calories on a regular basis.”

He slowly placed the tray to the side and then surprisingly growled at Charlotte almost like a wolf, crawling toward her as she willingly arched her back down to the floor. Within seconds the sweater was tossed dangerously close to the fire and Sidney’s mouth found hers in a scorching hold that he only released when she pushed him away with a loud gasp for air.

“Keep your hands above your waist or no Sidney,” he instructed not so playfully, remembering that he needed to check to see if he indeed had a bald spot from where she had earlier gripped his hair excessively hard. She grinned, nodded then closed her eyes as he began his journey…kissing and nibbling his way down her body, his hands caressing, pinching, and stroking until they pushed her willing legs open and he ran his stubbled chin against her soft curls, something she had declared loudly, and with a repeated and roaring swearword, that she desperately enjoyed earlier that evening.

With his hands firmly wrapped around her thighs in a fruitless effort to control her thrusts against his tongue, Sidney smiled to himself as Charlotte again repeatedly yelled her most favorite curse. “Take that Posy fiction,” he thought to himself as he unclasped her thighs so his fingers could expand her pleasure.

He quickly started to unbutton his trousers wondering why he bothered putting them back on and remembered. “Damn, damn, damn,” he said to himself as he tried to remove his pants as he ‘walked’ on his knees to the box o’ condoms.

“Sidney?” It was only seconds, but she already called out for him to return with her eyes half open and a desirous smile.

Charlotte reached for him hungrily and within moments they were one again—he buried his lips in her neck, his hands pulling her up as she drew him in deeper, demanding harder thrusts. Falling with full force on to her was never what he intended, but she repeatedly said she liked the feeling of his weight and held him tightly to her for several minutes after.

The passionate haze of their first hours was suddenly crystal clear to them both as they laid in each other’s arms in front of the fire. They remembered vividly every moment and knew most certainly that this night was the most real and precious either of them had experienced in their lives.

It was a good fifteen minutes since they had shared a post exhaustion kiss and Charlotte was so spent that she didn’t even know how to properly articulate what she wanted. “Eat now?”

“Oh my god, yes,” Sidney said, as he helped her sit up and handed her the very, very warm sweater as he threw his pants across the room and pulled a blanket off of the bed.

Charlotte stumbled up as she tossed his sweater to the side. “Too hot. Need water. You?” she asked finding her legs.

He nodded, wrapping his hand around her ankle then running his fingers up the length of her leg. “If I didn’t make it clear, I actually like how this feels,” he said of her unshaven legs. “And I like this too,” he grinned as he rubbed his chin on her soft curls and kissed her tender skin just above. Charlotte blushed then again walked cautiously into the living room so as to not disturb Butter or potentially step in anything.

*****

It was most certainly approaching the wee hours of the morning and they had both eaten their fill of cheese, nuts and even broke out a box of cookies. The fire was almost out and Charlotte knew that Butter, hopefully back on her schedule, would need to go out at first light. They prepared for actual sleep and Charlotte was immensely proud that she had at least remembered her toothbrush. Sidney opened his arms to her as she climbed into bed but she rested just outside of them. He gave her a disheartened look.

“You really don’t want that,” she said, nuzzling to her pillow and shedding the top blankets. “I’m a hot sleeper.”

“I have no idea what that means—I know you’re hot, but really?” he asked, as he pulled her to him and embraced her lovingly.

She rolled her eyes at the silly compliment. “No, truly, I’m like a hot potato off and on when I sleep, you want none of this,” she pushed him away but conceded as he was definitely not willing to give up the comfort of her. “I promise you. You’ll regret it,” she said, cuddling into his arms and laying her head on his chest.

He laughed gently. “My new name for you is ‘ma petite patate chaude,’” he said and pulled her closer to him, falling asleep just moments later.

Within two hours Sidney woke both frozen and on fire. “Holy shit,” he thought suddenly wide awake and looking at Charlotte who was fast asleep with her arms draped over his shoulders. She had kicked off every blanket and covering, her beautiful body fully exposed and experiencing none of the chill that he was most certainly feeling except for the parts of his body connected with hers, which were sweltering.

Sidney gingerly extracted himself from Charlotte’s embrace and sat at the side of the bed looking at her, wondering what he could have possibly done in his life to deserve her and trying to identify all the things he must not do for fear of losing her. He found the former list to be very short, but the latter was excruciatingly long. “Charlotte is not the kind of person who would want you wrapping yourself around the axel like this,” he thought. “She’s nothing like Eliza.”

Hating himself for even bringing that name into this moment, Sidney stood and searched for the covers, finding that Butter must have made her way into their room some time over the last two hours and was now fast asleep on top of them all. Sidney looked at his two sleeping girls and smiled. He decided to fetch the other blankets from the hall closet, not wanting to disturb either of them from their peaceful slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that’s Monday night. Thank you for reading 😊


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and please stay safe!!

Half awake, Sidney couldn’t remember whether or not he had confessed to Charlotte his love of the occasional foot massage and was pleasantly surprised she was taking such initiative albeit with a body part he did not expect. He was taken aback by how adventurous she was last night—he didn’t know why he expected her to be in any way timid, but it seemed that they quickly flew past their original awkwardness to deep understanding, as if theirs was a preordained meeting of old souls. 

As he became more lucid and remembered that Charlotte’s tongue was not that long, he opened his eyes to a dawn-lit room where a rather impatient Butter was desperately licking his feet…trying to get his attention without waking Charlotte. “This is so wrong,” he whispered. He looked at Butter and then at Charlotte, wondering if during her various trips to the kitchen last night she had somehow instructed the dog to bother him and not her this morning.

Sidney tried to shoo her away, but Butter simply sauntered to the head of the bed and began trying to lick his face. “Really, after feet?” he whispered so as to not wake Charlotte as he sat up and leisurely considered where he left his overnight bag.

The memory of all he’d been through with Butter yesterday flashed quickly through his mind and he was out of bed, dressed in old workout clothes he had stored at the cottage, and out the door within ninety seconds.

“Good dog,” Charlotte smiled as she heard the cottage door close and nuzzled into her pillow. She had most definitely intended to go back to sleep, but the desperate desire for food overtook any other need and she sleepily ambled about the room layering on clothes, finding her running shoes, some sweatpants, and topping her mismatched look off with Sidney’s black sweater from the night before that she found crumpled near the fireplace. “Please let those eggs be there and god bless the caretaker,” she prayed as she walked to the kitchen, adding another prayer of thanks when she confirmed that Butter had not soiled the living room.

Happy to find fresh butter (the dairy, not the dog) along with the eggs, she determined that she really needed to send a thank you gift to the caretaker. She scrambled half the dozen and put out a bowl of kibble and fresh water, expecting Sidney to walk through the door with Butter at any minute, but they didn’t appear. After looking out the front door, she became curious as they were not in the yard. Hungry but also a bit concerned, she loaded up one plate and left the rest in the now covered pan. Donned in one of Sidney’s jackets from the hall closet, she made her way out to the back patio, eating as she walked.

While she couldn’t see them, the familiar barking left her at ease and she relaxed in one of the lounge chairs to eat her eggs, expecting her girl shortly.

“Charlotte is going to kill me,” Sidney said nervously as he quickly ran through what he hoped was the wooded path Butter took. He thought it would be fun to take Butter unleased to the beach. “We’ll play fetch, burn off some energy, she’ll go back to sleep so I can again ravish her mother,” he plotted. Instead, after a few rounds of fetch where Sidney had to do all of the retrieving, Butter took off with more energy than she had displayed all morning into a rambling and wooded deer path and would not stop no matter how much Sidney shouted her name or promised “treat.”

After what felt like running forever through rather marshy and burr-ridden terrain, Sidney appeared at the edge of his own yard just in time to see Butter run to Charlotte.

“Good morning sunshine,” she beamed at him as he walked to them both in disbelief.

Out of exhaustion and a bit of loving frustration, his feet cold in very soggy shoes, Sidney leaned over to give Charlotte something of a chaste kiss.

“Thank you for walking her so early,” Charlotte said as she pulled three burrs off the sleeve of his jacket after doing the same for Butter.

“Why do I feel as if this was somehow planned between you two?” he asked, looking around for the appetizing smell, realizing it was the eggs that Charlotte had just given to the dog.

“I left a healthy portion for you on the stove—couldn’t find any coffee though,” she said, grabbing his jacket and pulling him close for a very less than chaste morning kiss. “Thank you again for taking care of Butter,” she said. “I guess she likes you more.”

For a second Sidney felt a bit proud that he had been chosen first, but again wondered if both Charlotte and Butter had this all prearranged and that somehow the eggs that Butter had just vanished from the plate were part of the agreement. Sidney shook it off and rubbed the painful spot on his head. 

“Can you see anything,” he asked, as he took off his knit cap and leaned over to show her his concern.

There was clearly a small patch of hair missing if you knew where to look, which Charlotte most certainly did as she remembered how much pleasure he gave her at the time when she yanked his hair last night. “Looks fine to me,” she lied as she brushed the adjacent hairs over the spot.

“It still hurts,” he said, rubbing his head. “Wait here. I’m going to check in the mirror and grab the rest of the eggs. And I think the coffee is in the freezer. Want some?”

Charlotte nodded then quickly laced up her shoes as Sidney walked inside the cottage. “Beach again? Let’s go!” she said hurriedly, running toward the sea with Butter leading the way as they both heard a very irritated Sidney yell from inside the cottage…“Charlotte!”

*****

Charlotte thought she’d give Sidney a little time to get accustomed to his new look as Butter washed her paws in the water. She hugged her arms tightly around her as she gazed out at the horizon astonished by and grateful for everything that was happening. She never imagined that she could feel this completely happy in the moment and entirely optimistic about the future. Lost in her thoughts, she was oblivious to Sidney’s approach and let out a surprised yelp as he lifted her in his arms and walked quickly to the edge of the shore.

“I think I might lose my footing like I did at the cove,” he said mischievously. “What’s the punishment for ripping out your lover’s hair in the throes of passion?” he teased, pretending to loosen his grip.

Charlotte tried to clutch his shoulders, but he shook her off. “Tell me something embarrassing about yourself or it’s the water,” he smirked. “That’s my price.”

She knew there so many things she could say but not one came to mind at the moment. “I peed in the sea when I was a kid,” she said, wiggling to get out of his arms.

“Nope. Everyone does that. Try again,” he said. 

She stared at him and couldn’t believe she was saying it. “Much of what we did last night—that was my first time trying it,” she blurted without thinking, but it was the truth.

Sidney looked at her with some disbelief. “But you seemed so, um so knowledgeable, so sure of yourself,” he said as he backed away from the water and lowered her feet gently to the sand. “You were just acting that you knew…where did you learn…you were amazing…”

“I read a lot,” she said as she turned her back to him, drew his arms around her and leaned into his chest—hoping to avoid any questions about exactly what she had been reading. “And you just made me feel safe enough to, well…to let my imagination go wild,” she smiled up at him then turned her eyes back to the water wondering how she could send thank you cards to every Posy fiction author and supporter. 

Sidney leaned close to her ear, his lips kissing her lobe gently then he whispered, “you’ll need to share your favorite Posy fiction links with me and we can reenact them.”

Flushed with deep humiliation, Charlotte started to pull away but Sidney held her tight and quieted her by letting his hands aggressively explore—one finding its way under her sweatpants to rub and stroke, the other beneath her, or really his, sweater seeking out her full breasts.

The horizon became a blur as Charlotte pressed her head back onto his shoulder and slowly rocked her hips against him, stoking his desire as he worked to satisfy hers. “All this before coffee,” she all but purred as he kissed and nipped at her neck. Time seemed to expand as he lifted the sweater to expose her breasts to the brisk morning air while his other hand continued to tease her nearly into a frenzy. “You are a good man indeed, Mr. Parker,” she murmured breathlessly.

Pleasure was most certainly not to be had though. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered apologetically right before stopping abruptly, removing his hands and adjusting her clothes.

Charlotte stumbled away from him confused and very frustrated. “Was that my punishment for the hair?” she asked in disbelief, wanting to hit him in the arm and various other places. Sidney looked at her mortified for forgetting this was a public beach as he tilted his head to the side, alerting her to the early morning runners who were closing in fast and most likely had at least something of a detailed view.

Charlotte turned bright red, embarrassed and eager to get back to the cottage. She clapped her hand against her thigh to signal Butter to follow as she headed inside. “The Posy stories don’t have enough warnings about practicing such acts in public places,” she said as she reached the door to the cottage, now feeling like she needed to joke about the awkward start to the day and turned back to Sidney who she believed was behind her but had not followed. She looked at him still standing far off on the beach. He seemed to be lost in thought as he stared out at the water and Charlotte suddenly felt that he was a million miles away.

After finding and brewing the coffee as well as making the bed, Charlotte stood at the patio door watching Sidney in the distance. He was now sitting on the beach, his eyes still focused on the water. She ran through everything she’d done that morning and even last night, trying to understand if she was somehow the driver of his behavior. Herself a brooder, she recognized the need for space and reluctantly gave it. She took a sip of the coffee—finding it undrinkable and tasting somewhat like freezer burn. Butter pawed at the patio door and Charlotte opened it slowly as Butter pushed it wider and rushed out down the yard and to the beach, nuzzling close to Sidney who put his arm around her and pulled her close.

“He’s in good company,” Charlotte thought, reflecting on how many times Butter had played silent therapist, and decided to take a shower, knowing Sidney was well looked after.

***** 

Charlotte had already scoured the bathroom for a razor yesterday and the night before Sidney was very clear he didn’t bring one with him per her earlier instructions that he should not, for fear of severe punishment, shave before their “weekend.” She thought for a minute about how happy she was that he had followed her instructions. That didn’t stop her from looking again—but with the same results. She was eager to get to the market to not only get some essentials, but also ensure there was something other than random appetizers, old coffee and lots of cookies in the house.

She let herself linger in the shower, half hoping Sidney would join her. But after watching her fingers prune, she thought it best to towel off, seek him out and get to the bottom of whatever was bothering him. While she had yet to take Sidney’s behavior personally, the brief note he left on the bed started to chip away at her confidence and she began to remember his reputation and let the insidious thought creep into her head that this could all be an act and maybe “Sid” was who he really was.

_Went to the market. I’ll get coffee. Took Butter. See you later._

“See you later? What the hell? After last night and well….Am I a roommate? What does this mean?” Charlotte said to herself as she let the soulless paper fall back onto the bed feeling as frustrated with him as she did the first day they met and angry that she didn’t even have Butter to talk with.

*****

“Call Arthur,” Sidney directed his phone as he pulled the car into the market parking lot and looked in his side-view mirror at Butter who had her head out the window the entire drive and was looking fairly windblown.

On the last ring before voicemail, a very sleepy Arthur answered, not happy. “What?”

“Did I wake you?” Sidney asked apologetically but knew that’s exactly what he did and honestly didn’t care. He needed to talk with Arthur.

“Unless you are in a different part of the world and suddenly became stupid about time zones, you know you did. What do you want?” he asked again, sounding like he was falling back asleep. “Where are you?”

“I’m at my cottage…got here last night…” Sidney paused, believing Arthur may now again be asleep. “…With Charlotte.”

Arthur opened his eyes, now a little more awake, but still eager to get back to sleep. “Well good for you. I’m happy for you both and all for getting there, but couldn’t you wait to share until later at a more respectable hour to spread the news.” He was about to hang up but could sense Sidney was desperate to say something but was hesitating. “What’s wrong?”

“I screwed up. I nearly compromised Charlotte’s reputation this morning,” he confessed. While Sidney knew from his conversation with Susan that he couldn’t decide this relationship for Charlotte, he also knew that Charlotte had no idea what life was like when everyone thinks you are something you’re not.

He fully understood the severity of the situation on the beach. If those runners this morning were reporters, a picture of her half-naked and about to come at the hand of lothario ‘Sid Parker’ would be on every device in thirty seconds—and searchable forever. Most likely they’d depict her as a slut or a victim and he could imagine the side-by-side images of her and Eliza on various gossip sites with detailed comparisons. While it was easy for him to say he didn’t care about what the media thought of him, he had to explain one too many times to his nieces and nephew when their friends said things and there were times that it truly hurt. He never wanted Charlotte to feel that way and was beginning to think it would have been better for her if he hadn’t read her book and they hadn’t met.

“Oh don’t be so dramatic,” Arthur muttered half into the phone and half into his pillow. “It’s not like you were getting busy in public.”

Sidney was silent.

Arthur quickly sat up in bed. “Are you serious?”

Sidney rubbed the back of his neck. “It was early, we were on the beach, and I got caught up in the moment and I, I forgot.”

“You forgot!? You, who are always so conscientious about privacy. I never thought you could slip. What has she done to you?” Arthur asked, wanting to thank Charlotte for making Sidney a bit more human again.

“I just don’t want to hurt her,” Sidney said, as he stepped from the car and stood petting Butter. “And I can’t keep thinking how selfish I am to get involved with her—but I don’t think I can stop.”

“What does Charlotte say about all of this?” Arthur asked, suddenly realizing that his ‘strongest’ brother was somewhat falling apart.

“I haven’t talked to her about it yet—I left when she was in the shower to come to the market for coffee and stuff. I wrote her a note…” he added, suddenly realising his entire reaction this morning was most likely a very, very bad one.

“Let me understand this. You left the woman you just took to your cottage—what like twelve, fourteen hours ago, the first woman you’ve ever taken there, the woman whose reputation you’re worried about, the woman you’re producing a movie for—you left her with a note? That’s what sounds selfish, buddy,” Arthur said in disbelief. “That note better have been one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever written in your life.”

“It wasn’t,” Sidney admitted quietly, his stomach beginning to have the same ache it did days ago.

“It’s a good thing you’re pretty,” Arthur said, throwing his blankets to the side and placing his feet on the floor. “Here is what you are going to do. Go in that store and buy the most beautiful flowers you can find and the coffee—preferably Kona—then drive like a bat out of hell back to her. I’ll have some food delivered there by early afternoon. Oh, Butter is with you I see—and you might want to shave.”

“How did you…” Sidney started.

“I just got an alert about you on a road trip with your new dog—looks like someone spotted you in the parking lot,” Arthur said looking at the picture. “I’ll send some treats along as well.”

“Don’t. Long story, please, just don’t,” Sidney nearly pleaded as he quickly made his way to the coffee aisle.

*****

Charlotte picked up Sidney’s note again, read it, crumpled it into a small ball and threw it back onto the bed. She knew she was letting her emotions get the best of her and her wonderfully creative mind that was so good at fashioning stories and scenes was weaving a narrative she didn’t want to believe about Sidney. Her calls and texts to Esther went inexplicably unanswered so it was up to Charlotte to talk herself out of feeling this way…and she was failing miserably.

She kept telling herself not to go down this path, kept reminding herself that she was tired, kept focusing on how with Sidney she felt completely trusting—even letting him expose her on a public beach that she thought was private. That last point, made her feel a little used though—he most certainly knew the risk.

One thing Charlotte decided was that she needed a little space and time to fight the narrative she created—of course she had no idea what “later” in his note meant so his return with Butter was variable. “I’m sure she’s liking it,” Charlotte thought as she quickly packed a bottle of water and some of the nuts in her bag along with her notebook and a copy of the script. “He’s probably rubbing her belly right now. He’ll take care of her,” she told herself as she closed the patio door and headed as far down the beach as her feet would take her.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading and being so supportive. It really does mean a lot and I truly thank you. I know I say it nearly every time—please stay safe. We’ll get through this pandemic 😊

“Number one, try to find the humor in the situation. Number two, don’t try to solve everything yourself. Two damn rules Susan always repeats and I screw them up every time,” Sidney said with one hand on the wheel and the other petting Butter who had her head on his shoulder. “So do you think Charlotte might be a little upset with me?”

Butter gave him a look that reminded him of the one Diana always has when she calls him a doofus, and then curled up on the seat. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said as he started to slow the car to turn down his driveway but then quickly accelerated. He had been so focused on what he was going to say to Charlotte that he didn’t realize the same car had trailed behind him since the market. “Sorry Butter. Can’t go home yet. They most likely took that picture of us. We’ll need to tour around a bit to shake them,” he said, trying hard to find the humor as he turned on the radio and headed to the nearest police station to scare them off.

*****

Charlotte’s feet didn’t take her very far at all—about to the edge of the patio where she was confronted by an older, stylish woman carrying a bag of what looked to be groceries coming up from the beach. “Good morning, may I ask what you’re doing here,” she questioned Charlotte suspiciously.

“I’m a guest of the owner,” Charlotte said as the woman placed the bag on the patio table and retrieved her phone.

“And who is the owner?” the woman asked, eyeing Charlotte up and down, and appearing ready to dial the authorities.

“Sidney Parker—we arrived last night. And who are you?” she inquired, standing taller and feeling suddenly very protective of Sidney.

The woman smiled and noticeably relaxed. “You must be a friend to call him Sidney. Sorry, I got word there were people around here this morning and I thought some of his fans may have stumbled upon this place. I’m Judy, my husband and I take care of the cottage when he’s not here,” she said, extending her hand.

“Charlotte—so you must be the one to thank for the eggs and the firewood,” she gave a smile, still feeling protective.

“Yes. My husband and are the full-time caretakers for the estate down the beach and we keep an eye out for Sidney’s place too,” she said, continuing to study Charlotte. “We’re just starting to close up the gardens and I have some vegetables from the late harvest and I thought I’d bring over a few necessities,” she motioned to the bag while still staring at Charlotte. “I noticed the expired coffee in the freezer so I brought some as well…I’m sorry Charlotte, but I know you, I just can’t place it…”

“I don’t think so, I’ve never been here before,” Charlotte said, her ears perking up at the idea of coffee and desperate to get that bag.

“Oh, I know you’ve never been here before. In all the years I’ve been helping Sidney—it’s nearly a decade I think…a year after his first big hit is when he bought the place—he’s never brought a woman here. He lets his family come up to use the place now and then, but you’re the first woman I’ve seen—that’s why I thought you were one of his fans,” Judy said, smiling. “It’s on the tip of my tongue—I know I’ve seen you before.”

Even though she wasn’t in the mood for company, Charlotte really needed that coffee and was interested to learn more about Sidney from Judy’s perspective. “Do you want to come in for coffee—it’s not decaf is it?” she asked. Before the word coffee was even out of Charlotte’s mouth, Judy was halfway to the door.

“Bite your tongue—decaf is not coffee,” Judy said as she held open the door for Charlotte then walked to the kitchen to unload the bag. “Oh my god!” she said as she turned on the coffee maker. “You’re the author of that _Sanditon_ book—I absolutely love it. What luck!” she said as she pulled two mugs from the cupboard.

Charlotte had never had someone recognize her before and was a little out of sorts. Over the next twenty minutes, Charlotte felt her confidence return, at least for her writing, as she answered Judy’s non-stop questions on everything from how she came up with the idea for her plot and mastered the Regency-era details, to what it felt like to be interviewed on _Breakfast_. It was her last question that she didn’t know how to answer… “Are you Sidney’s girlfriend?” Judy asked as she got up to refill their coffees. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what they call it these days. I’m just so happy to see him with someone. My husband and I tried to set him up a few times over the last several years, but oh boy, was that a mess. We’d need alcohol to talk about that, not coffee. Let me just say how embarrassing it is when people you think are sane whip out body parts to be autographed during appetizers,” she said, placing the full mug in front of Charlotte. “Oh! You should both come and have drinks tonight. The house we care for is insanely beautiful and the owners come only once a year, if that. The art—it’s amazing—think 2005 _Pride and Prejudice_ Pemberley gallery type art,” Judy was starting to ramble and Charlotte was happy that she wasn’t the only one who did that. “But I’m sorry, I didn’t even give you a chance to respond. Are you Sidney’s girlfriend? Or significant other? Or lover? Or whatever…I hope so. I like you.”

The question stumped Charlotte and she started to feel overwhelmed with the last twenty-four hours and looked down at her hands. Last night she thought she had an assured answer but this morning she didn’t know what she and Sidney were and while she wanted desperately to use the old-fashioned term and tell Judy “girlfriend,” she knew she couldn’t and felt what could only be described as painfully sad.

A long-quiet Charlotte had just managed to figure out a way to change the topic and lifted her eyes to Judy when Butter licked her hand.

“I hope she’s all of the above,” Sidney said softly, standing in the doorway with a large bouquet of multiple types of yellow flowers and what appeared to be a bag full of Kona coffee. He looked hopefully at Charlotte for some confirmation and while it was only a few seconds it seemed to him like hours for her to meet his gaze with a hint of a smile.

Judy could plainly see that there was something going on between them and stood to go. “If you two have time, you should come tonight at cocktail hour to see the art. Andrew would love to see you Sidney—you know how much he likes to tell his stories and play tour guide,” she invited. “And you know it’s a safe place—no photographers,” she whispered to Sidney as he quickly hugged her in thanks for much more than caring for the cottage. Butter followed Judy to the patio door and laid down heavily as if guarding it to give Charlotte and Sidney their privacy.

Sidney waited for several long moments after hearing the door close to speak. “Are you my ‘significant other’ or did I screw things up too much this morning?” he asked, still standing with the grocery bag and flowers in his hands.

“Why didn’t you talk to me? When we drove back from the cove you promised you’d be honest with me—did you mean it or not?” she asked with more bite than intended and tried to soften it. “Why wouldn’t you let me help you?”

Sidney placed the flowers on the table and the bag on the floor as he sat next to Charlotte. “I’m sorry—I got into my own head. I’m not trying to make excuses…I’ve just had to live my life a certain way and this morning I got so carried away that I forgot to be careful and I put you at risk. I was feeling so normal with you…then after the beach…I started to feel so selfish for bringing you into this crazy life. If those runners were reporters, we would be surrounded by now and…”

“But they weren’t,” she interrupted, taking his hands in hers. “I’m not naïve to the situation here—I know it will be tough, even more so when we start working together on set, but what was rougher for me today were the hours I spent wondering what I did wrong and then questioning your intentions—that what you said last week about wanting something real was all a lie,” she said, looking him in the eyes but Sidney couldn’t maintain that gaze and cast his eyes downward apologetically. “If it weren’t for Judy thinking I was some stalker fan, I wouldn’t be here. I had no intention of being here when you returned—that’s how hurt and confused I was feeling,” she admitted, not wanting to hide anything from him. She squeezed his hands, “and that note…you really can’t ever leave something like that for a writer. I can teach you to do better,” she said, smiling to him as he raised his eyes to hers.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I never want to do anything that would give you a reason to doubt how I feel.”

“Well, I thought yellow meant friendship,” she smirked motioning to the flowers, trying to lighten the mood. “Is friendship what you want?”

“I thought yellow was also for apologies,” he responded with a similar grin as he gently leaned his forehead to hers and looked adoringly into her eyes. “But yes, I want you to be my very, very best friend,” he whispered then lovingly claimed her lips with his, desperately hoping she wanted the same.

After several minutes of adoring kisses turning more and more passionate with every second, Charlotte found herself seated on the table, her leggings on the floor, Sidney’s lips on the soft skin of her inner thigh, his hands gripping her bum and his fingers playing with the waistband of her panties. “I know I have a lot to make up for this morning,” he said as he lightly brushed his lips across the already wet satin.

“We really should talk, we need a contract,” Charlotte said breathlessly as she reached to touch Sidney’s hair, but he pushed her hands away.

“Absolutely not the hair,” he said, leaning her back and removing her shirt as he raised her arms so she could grab the edge of the table above her head. Sidney worked his way back down her body, stopping to unlatch her bra and release her breasts to his waiting lips. “And legal is working on your contract,” he said as he moved his lips from one nipple to the other, his fingers continuing to teasingly stroke her inner thighs, just out of reach from where she wanted.

“Our contract—the rules we have between us...like we’ll always be honest with each other,” she said, arching her back as he wrapped his tongue around her nipple.

“And finding humor in every situation,” he lifted his head then tickled her sides, making her release her arms and laugh, pushing him away.

“And asking for help,” she said as she started to push down her panties and Sidney removed them with one quick motion.

Sidney lifted her legs and hips, laying an exciting spank across her bum. “And we’ll assume good intent, be open-minded and try new things together,” he grinned as he lowered then opened her legs resuming his kisses, nips, and licks. After hearing Charlotte’s satisfied swearword several times, he found his way back to her lips. “Do we have a deal?” he asked, kissing her passionately.

“Deal,” she said, her eyes smiling.

After several kisses, Sidney helped her up. “Bedroom?”

Before Charlotte could answer, they could hear a car in the driveway and Sidney went to the window while Charlotte redressed. “So this may actually be the only thing better than the bedroom right now,” Sidney said, checking to ensure Charlotte was decent as he walked to the front door.

“Really?!” Charlotte said, fairly annoyed.

“Yes, and you’ll agree,” he said as he opened the door.

“Mr. Parker, I’m Kapi. I have a delivery, well, from Mr. Parker. Should I put it on the kitchen table?” she asked.

“No,” Charlotte and Sidney quickly replied in unison. “Here is fine,” Charlotte said smiling at Sidney.

Kapi dropped off several bags and handed Sidney a thick envelope. “Those are the instructions,” she said, “and…” she hesitated.

“Go ahead,” Sidney smiled. “What does Arthur want you to tell me?”

“Sorry, I have to give it verbatim,” she said as she opened a piece of paper and began to read aloud. “Sidney, this is all idiot-proof, which means even you can’t fuck it up. And this has all be charged to your tab. You’ve left a ridiculous tip for the entire staff and there is an inconvenience fee for waking me so early. Hi Charlotte. Have fun and don’t let him be a putz—you’re too good for him.” Kapi handed Sidney the piece of paper, blushing.

“Thanks,” he said as he walked to the desk to retrieve his wallet.

“No, really, your tip is already ludicrous—thank you so much!” she said and closed the door behind her.

Charlotte began to peek in the bags as Sidney opened the envelope and started laughing at the multiple pages. “What is it?” she asked.

“He’s timed everything out…he even has energy snacks, um, for after any ‘vigorous exercise,’” he said.

“Does what we just did count?” Charlotte questioned, opening one of the containers.

“I think we should put this all away and head to the bedroom and get our heart rates up again,” he said grabbing the bags.

*****

Sitting at the end of the bed with a shared bowl of sage gnocchi, both Charlotte and Sidney agreed that whatever the price he paid, the food was worth it. Arthur had included treats for Butter, which Sidney and Charlotte deliberated about for a very long time before giving her one, placing the rest on the top shelf of the hall closet.

“We probably should do some work at some point,” Charlotte started as she kissed a drop of the butter sauce from Sidney’s chin.

“I thought we were just finalizing the chemistry tests,” Sidney grinned.

“I think we’ve passed,” she smiled. “Really, I want to know everything. I don’t want to be the weakest link.”

“I don’t think you could ever be that,” he said, stealing a gnocchi from her fork. “We can start this afternoon with running some lines and talk about blocking. I do think it would be nice to go to Judy’s this evening though. We won’t have many places we can be open as a couple when we go back, you know.”

Charlotte nodded and lowered her fork, liking very much that he said the word “couple” but also not liking they’d have to be together in secret. “I don’t want to, but before we go back, we also do need to talk about Eliza,” she said, looking up at him as he took another bite. “She clearly has designs on you.”

“I know—I’ve been thinking that we’ll need a whole vocabulary of code words around her,” he said as he put the now empty plate to the side. “Something like… _Charlotte, I need a touch-up_ , means I need a kiss,” he said, as he kissed her cheek and took the fork from her hand. “Or _Charlotte, let me give you an adjustment,_ that means get to your trailer immediately,” he said, pulling the sheet she had covering her to the floor.

“I think these acting classes are going to be very fun,” she smiled.

*****

After several hours of running through lines—which Sidney found very intimidating to do with someone who knew every word of every scene without using a script—Sidney walked Charlotte through some of the basics of camera work while Butter watched completely uninterested from the sofa.

“Is this okay?” Charlotte asked as she stood in the nicest outfit she had brought with her. She wasn’t expecting to go anywhere and the simple black jersey dress was a quick addition to her luggage as she headed out the door. 

“You look perfect. You could have been much more casual,” he said as he buttoned his denim shirt. “The house is out of this world, but Judy and Andrew are actually very normal.”

“You’re just lucky I have tights. You could have remembered a razor from the market,” she only half-joked, giving him a playful sneer.

As he pulled from his driveway to the road, Sidney was happy to see it clear of any other cars or potential paparazzi for the short drive. He was also happy to hear Charlotte’s light gasp as they approached the house. “It looks almost like Pemberley,” she said, looking from him to the house and back again.

“The owners are royalty of some sort and spend most of their time on a yacht doing god knows what,” he said. “They really only come back maybe once every year or really every other year so Judy and Andrew have the place to themselves except for a few maids and handymen. Be warned—Andrew can talk.”

What began as just cocktails turned into a nearly full evening of tours and stories about the house and about Judy and Andrew’s nearly thirty-five-year marriage. Charlotte enjoyed openly holding Sidney’s hand and the feeling of him being able to give her a quick kiss as he refilled drinks for their small party. Charlotte did blush though when Andrew mentioned privately to her how Judy had gone to Sidney’s that morning after there were reports of a couple being inappropriate on the public beach and that she should be careful when going out with the dog so as to not witness anything indecent.

While they both were looking forward to what Arthur had planned for dinner, by the time they left they were full, tired, and ready for bed. Sidney volunteered to escort Butter around the yard while Charlotte readied herself for bed. Waiting for Sidney, Charlotte quickly checked her phone, surprised that she had yet to hear from Esther, and hoping she was having as wonderful a time as she was.

*****

Dear Diary,

I don’t do drama—unless it’s mine. Today started great—I kissed Sidney’s feet AND his face. Then we had lots of fun running through the woods, eating eggs (just like Charlotte promised—she keeps her promises and I like that) and going to the beach. Then Sidney became all broody. And Charlotte got all teary and I tried to remind them how great life is and that there were eggs still left in the pan. I did ride with Sidney in the car, which was nice and I rested my head on his shoulder—I felt he needed it. My hair looked really good after the car.

They were in the bedroom a lot so no more beach for me. Then they were playing, which was boring. I couldn't even go to the party--everything breakable. I do have manners.

At least I got one treat today. I need to meet this Arthur. Fairly frustrated--I don’t think they even ate the rest of the eggs. I really need to find those other treats.

Butter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full confession – the previous chapter (chapter 19) that didn’t end happy— I was still thinking about it and thought I posted it as a draft, not published. You can imagine my surprise when I saw a few reader comments in my inbox. This my happy-place story, hence why I needed to get back to happy fast! Hope this chapter wasn’t too much/too silly as it was a quick turn! Thanks again for reading and I hope to have another chapter up by next weekend.
> 
> Note to self: do not put anything into AO3 while having wine!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! What a crazy week in the world! 
> 
> This is something of a rambling, domestic chapter, but I guess I just needed this right now. Thank you as always for being so amazingly kind, even when I screw this story up!
> 
> @Karla – I did the same thing too at the market! I was like, “I need razors,” then realized I don’t, Charlotte does!

Charlotte managed to wake right as Butter approached the edge of the bed and was poised to lick Sidney’s feet. She quickly whispered, “Butter,” and gave the dog an admonishing look. It was clear to Charlotte that Butter was trying to decide whether or not to obey and after a few moments, ambled to her with tail wagging. Charlotte shook her head, realising that she had become Butter’s second choice when Sidney was around.

After giving Butter a kiss on the nose, Charlotte got up and lazily dressed, opting to wear Sidney’s denim shirt from the night before to enjoy his cologne while walking Butter. Apparently, Charlotte had taken too long as coming out of the bathroom she found Butter asleep in her spot on the bed with her back snuggled against Sidney’s.

“And I thought Eliza would be the only potential threat,” Charlotte playfully thought as she gently caressed Butter’s ear. She left her two sleeping sweethearts and padded quietly to the kitchen. Not only did she have the coffee from Judy, but the six varieties of Kona that Sidney managed to find at the market to choose from. After smelling her options, she went for Kai Coffee’s brew and started the maker. “Seriously, he does this and can’t remember a damn razor,” she thought, considering taking his keys and heading out only to be stopped by the fact that she hadn’t driven a car in nearly four years and a Range Rover that cost in excess of £130K was probably not the best place to start.

She poured some milk in her mug—thanks to Judy—and anticipated the wonderful coffee that had started to brew. Just then, Butter nuzzled behind her knee. “Of course, you have perfect timing,” she said quietly, looking longingly at the coffee. “Let’s go.”

They meandered around the front then back yards and made their way down the to the beach. It was much colder than yesterday and Charlotte hugged her jacket tighter, happy to again smell the scent of Sidney’s shirt as she did so and hoped he was still enjoying his sleep. After her talk with Judy and learning that she was the first woman to apparently be invited to the cottage, she considered that, as overwhelmed with things as she was, he may be as well—though to her that seemed extremely hard to believe.

She looked at the cottage as Butter ran back and forth with the tide. To afford this, and his London flat, and the car, and the production company, and investing in Arthur’s restaurant, and everything else that she had no clue about…she was fairly amazed that someone not even a decade older than herself had achieved so much and reflected on her own life. “I was proud to make the flat payment and everything else last month,” she muttered, thinking about how at eighteen she was paying her own bills and it was not long ago that she was eating pound shop food, super noodles and frozen jacket potatoes barely heated in the microwave.

“Don’t compare—you are doing just fine,” she told herself quietly. It wasn’t about jealously and she didn’t feel insecure—it was respect for him and, although material possessions weren’t hers nor did they seem his primary goal, she found herself thinking about her half of this relationship and remembered she needed to work on the gift, albeit humble, she wanted to give him and which she had only half-finished, if that. She knew his birthday was in December—the same day as Jane Austen’s—but she wanted to surprise him before that.

Butter unexpectedly hopped up and placed her wet paws on Charlotte’s waist, suddenly looking for breakfast and attention. Charlotte appreciated how long they had been out and she gave a tilt of her head to Butter to run inside as she followed. Charlotte opened the door as quietly as she could to not wake Sidney but could hear his voice in the bedroom in what sounded like an animated phone conversation. She fed Butter and filled two mugs of coffee—actually drinking half of hers and refilling before heading to the bedroom.

“No, Gavin I get it…it’s just, I’m on the coast. With the date moving around, I…well…it wasn’t on my calendar,” Sidney said, holding his phone to his ear, laying on his back, and staring at the ceiling. 

Charlotte held still at the doorway with the two cups in her hand.

“Let me…” Sidney was clearly trying to negotiate. “I know it’s not your fault—I just need to talk to…let me figure it out and I’ll text you…yes, I know it’s terribly important for the film’s marketing….I know it’s in my contract…Yes.” he said, ending the call and tossing the phone to the side.

Charlotte waited a few seconds in the doorway, trying to determine if she should give him a moment or start with the ‘good morning’ she had planned. She didn’t need to think as Butter came up with a third option and stormed the bed, positioning herself for now-full belly rubs from Sidney. He nuzzled her quickly and looked up with a half-smile at Charlotte as she walked in with the coffee.

“That doesn’t look like happiness to see me,” she said, handing him the coffee.

“I’m always more than happy to see you,” he replied as he took the coffee and gently pulled her to him for a morning kiss.

“What’s wrong?” Charlotte asked as she sat at the side of the bed.

“I need to walk the carpet this evening for the premiere of this film I did well over a year ago,” he said apologetically as he took her hand. “The release has been held up with the distribution company and they moved the date around like three or four times—and somehow they never notified my office with the new date. That was the director and executive producer—they need me in London today for the press—I’m sorry, I had no idea.”

Charlotte smiled and squeezed his hand. “Okay, I have no idea what walking the carpet means—can we take this back a few steps—remember, novice here.”

“Basically, I need to dress up and—as Arthur likes to say—look pretty while I stand on a red carpet for about a half hour, sign autographs, have my picture taken, and try to say smart things into reporters’ microphones in twenty seconds or less. Then I walk into the theatre and pass directly to the back door to the waiting car and I go home…it’s a lot of fluff to promote the film.”

“You don’t stay for the screening?” Charlotte asked.

“No one really does—there are parties, but I don’t really enjoy those,” he said, lacing his fingers in hers. “I’m sorry to cut our time short.”

“Do we have to? Do you want to?” Charlotte questioned, surprised she was so honest. “Could you take the train to London and come back?” She thought about what she said. “You really can’t just hop a train, can you? I’m being thoughtless—I guess I just want you to myself for a few more days before the world takes over.”

Sidney took the coffee from her hand and placed both cups on the nightstand. As if on cue, Butter gave up her spot and made her way to the living room. “I think that is a wonderful idea—I can drive it…if you want to come or maybe it’s better for you to stay here with Butter and I’ll be back late tonight,” he said as he pulled her into the bed and embraced her lovingly. “You know I’d rather stay here with you, right?”

Charlotte smiled and kissed him lightly on his neck. “After our film is done, maybe we can go to these openings together. When do you need to leave?”

“I’d like that very much,” he nodded, giving her a gentle kiss. “I have an hour—maybe two—they need to brief me and I also need to get my new tux from Julie…By the way, I really like my shirt on you,” he said, as he unhooked the bottom buttons and lightly ran the back of his fingers over her stomach, making her shiver.

“If you like it on me, then why are you trying to take it off?” she teased, playfully pushing his hands away. “Do you know what I want right now?” she asked, her lips brushing his ear.

“Tell me in very specific detail,” Sidney whispered, his hands finding their way back to the soft skin of her waist.

“I want you to get up and go running with me,” she said, hopping off the bed and gathering her running clothes.

Sidney gave her a scowl which she returned with an innocent smile. “What? I just gave you a very good reason to come back.”

*****

After their brisk morning run, where they were both relieved to have the beach to themselves except for famed sand artist Simon Beck who looked to be working on something rather brilliant, Sidney showered and readied himself for the long drive while Charlotte planned her day and started to review some of the basic industry terminology. She had made it clear that she’d see Sidney in the morning—not wanting him to drive back so late after his long day. She was considering heading to Andrew’s for another look at the Georgian art when she let out a loud gasp.

“Do I look that good?” Sidney smirked. “You sure you don’t want me to drive back tonight?”

Charlotte pierced her eyes at a clean-shaven Sidney. “You had a razor? Really?” she said exasperated.

“Hey…last night Judy saw my beard and figured I forgot my razor—I didn’t think you’d want me telling her your explicit instructions not to shave and why,” he said, running his hand across his smooth skin.

Charlotte quickly approached him. “Where is it?” she said with an urgency he didn’t expect.

“She gave me a pack—they’re in the bathroom,” he said, laughing as he pulled her to him and rubbed his cleanly shaven cheek against hers before giving her a passionate kiss goodbye.

“Okay, you can go now…I have all I need,” she said, pushing him away.

Sidney took her hand and pulled her back to him. “No, really, you’re okay here with Butter?”

“Of course! What could go wrong?” she smiled.

*****

After a very happy shower with a razor, followed by almost an entire day of boning up on the industry “lingo,” reviewing her lines, and practicing some vocal techniques Sidney had demonstrated, she was more than happy to receive a call from Esther.

“I only have a minute,” Esther whispered before Charlotte could speak.

“Where are you? Are you okay?” Charlotte asked, turning up the volume on her phone and walking to the bedroom to get better reception.

“All is wonderful, Babs just went to get some snacks,” Esther whispered, then, to Charlotte’s surprise, giggled.

“What are you doing?” after asking, Charlotte believed it was obvious and cursed herself for asking.

“We’re watching movies. With you being cast as the lead—congratulations by the way you dark horse—I went on to my next assignment, which was to finalize everything for the cast and crew visit to Babs estate. It’s been wonderful,” she said.

“You’ve been there since Monday?” Charlotte asked, surprised as Esther had something of a “no consecutive nights” policy.

“Yes and believe it or not, all he’s done is kiss me on the cheek. Apparently, we’ve been leading mirrored lives—of course, he’s fabulously wealthy and a lord so that’s a big difference--but we’ve both tried everything, except what he calls ‘courtship.’ I’m loving it,” Esther said, almost giddy. “How is your ‘immersion’ with Sidney going?”

Charlotte looked down at the box of condoms and realised there was a lot more than courtship happening on her end. “Great, focused on work,” she said as she gently slid the box under the bed with her foot as if Esther could possibly see it.

“Fabulous! I need to go, talk soon,” Esther said quickly and Charlotte could hear her tell Babington that she was taking the reins with the remote before she ended the call.

Charlotte stood with the phone in her hand, smiling broadly for her friend. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard her that happy,” she said as she fell heavily on the bed. Butter hopped up next to her, and, after giving some belly rubs, Charlotte caught up on a few Posy stories with one causing her to ask herself if she should consider learning a few massage techniques. She was so engrossed in reading then in plotting her next steps with his gift that she hadn’t realised the sun had set until a noise outside drew her attention to the window and she went to investigate with Butter close behind.

*****

“You look beautiful, thank you so much for going with me,” Sidney said to Diana who had seated herself on the workbench while Julie made a few final adjustments on his tuxedo.

“Have you been working out more?” Julie asked, checking the waistband of his trousers. “I didn’t think this could get more defined,” she said looking down. “The leather pants would work well—just ask Lord Babington,” she said, heading to retrieve a pair.

Diana smirked at Sidney and they both shook their heads “no” at each other.

“We need to head out, maybe another time. Magic like always,” he said, smiling at Julie.

“No leather pants ever, promise me,” Diana said as she lifted the hem of her vintage yellow silk gown to enter the limousine.

“I absolutely promise,” he said, as he quickly checked his phone. He had texted Charlotte earlier and received no response.

“Are you and Charlotte having a good time?” she asked, feeling a bit guilty about intimidating Charlotte last week, but knowing it was also her absolute responsibility.

Sidney blushed, and fiddled with his phone.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do that,” Diana smiled and gently rapped her Judith Leiber on his knee.

“I really like her,” he said. “You’ll need to spend some time with her on the etiquette for the film—I could see you becoming friends.”

“If she makes you smile like that, we already are,” she said, her eyes distracted by the camera flashes. “It’s time. We’re in and out, right?”

“Yep. And please don’t leave my side, I don’t know what’s waiting out there,” he winked.

“I’ve got your back,” she said as he helped her from the car.

Diana kept her word and even when the media asked for single shots or costar pictures, Sidney would take them quickly and return. “I am simply not good at this,” he said through his smile. “How far are we from the entrance?”

“Looks like three more camera ops,” she said, squeezing his arm. “I swear for most people this would be exciting, tonight it looks as if it’s torture for you. You need to loosen up my friend and act like you want to be here.”

Sidney tried, but when Eliza appeared as if out of nowhere, Diana could feel him tense and she had to remind him to keep his smile.

“I thought I’d come and support my new costar,” she said, lacing her arm with his and pulling him close as the cameras flashed. “You’ll love this film—I had a private screening and the end, well, you’ll be shocked,” she declared enthusiastically to the reporters, not releasing the grip on his arm. 

Diana moved to try to stand between them but was blocked by Eliza’s assistant. Eliza kept talking up Sidney’s new film. He wanted to leave but knew her support would mean the world to Gavin so he remained silent with his red-carpet smile. Diana recommended they grab some solo shots of Eliza as she quickly led Sidney inside the theatre. They both could hear Eliza reply to reporters’ questions… “I’m of course here to support my Sid—and once there’s more to report, you’ll be the first to know.”

Sidney took Diana’s hand and led them to the back door while he dialed Karla. “Did you see?” he asked. “Can she do that?”

“I’m sorry Sidney, yes, I saw and she can,” she said apologetically. “We tried but in her contract, she is only prohibited for saying anything negative about the film or her colleagues.”

“Got it, thanks for trying,” he said.

“By the way, thanks to the Posies, the movie is trending, you really owe them a lot of thanks,” Karla advised.

“I know. I don’t know where I’d be without them,” he said and ended the call.

Diana’s phone went off with several texts from Arthur. After a few choice swearwords about Eliza, he included the link to the latest TMZ story… _Sliza Sizzles – Sid Parker and Eliza Campion Heat up the Red Carpet._

Diana had to laugh. “I’m sorry, but Sliza? Really? They are still going with that?”

Sidney broke a smile. “It’s horrible.”

“Hey, if you and Charlotte ever go public, it can be Sidlotte. I like that much better,” she joked.

Sidney looked at his texts—Charlotte had yet to respond since late afternoon. He loosened his tie as he dialed, but it went directly to voicemail. “Sweetheart—can you call me when you get this?” He paused, thinking about her news alert settings. “If you got an alert on me, it’s not what you think. Call me, please.”

“Everything okay?” Diana asked, growing concerned.

“I’m sure, one sec,” he said, dialing Judy. “Is Charlotte with you?…have you seen her this afternoon?...no, nothing wrong…didn’t know you were out of town…have fun…” Sidney looked up at Diana. “Do you mind if they drop me at my car then take you home?”

*****

The stress of the day combined with Charlotte’s silence was making his shoulders ache with tension. A million ideas were flying through his head ranging from paparazzi at the cottage to her having an accident to her being angry with the coverage at the opening.

It was well after midnight by the time he reached his driveway. “The gates are closed…that’s a good sign, right?” he said aloud to himself as he pulled up to the cottage. He stopped short of where he usually parked. Every light was on, every window was open, and his clothes were sitting outside the door. “This is not a good,” he muttered, approaching the front door cautiously. “Could she really be that upset about the story,” he thought.

He opened the door slowly and there was a slight trace of a noxious odor in the freezing cottage. He could hear the clothes washer rumbling, but no signs of life. After a few moments, a tired, damp and lavender-scented Butter sauntered quickly from the bedroom and brushed against his leg. “Where is she?” he asked quietly, kneeling to give a belly rub to the already on-her-back dog.

Butter hopped up and licked his face and then retreated to a spot near the dying fire. Sidney found Charlotte curled up on the bed, fully clothed and fast asleep with a towel in her hand. He gently sat next to her and stroked her cheek to wake her.

Charlotte stirred slightly. “You’re not supposed to be here,” she murmured rubbing her eyes, then closing them again, appearing to fall back asleep.

“Charlotte,” he jostled her gently trying to wake her. “I had no control over what Eliza did…Diana tried to help…those headlines aren’t true…”

“I know, I trust you,” she uttered.

“Then why are my clothes outside?” he asked, as he looked around the room, noticing her clothes were gone.

Charlotte took a deep breath, rubbed her eyes again, and stretched her hand up to stroke his now stubbling cheek. “I take it you didn’t get my email?”

Sidney shook his head as Charlotte sleepily propped herself up on her elbows. “Long story short. Did you know that your neighbors down the beach have a pet skunk? Who does that? They aren’t even native creatures. Anyway, they take it for a walk on the beach at night, on a lead. Yes really. Well, it slipped its harness, made its way up to the patio, and when Butter and I went to investigate the sounds it was making, Butter chased it into the house where it sprayed a couple of times and then hid under the bed. I put your bag outside so it wouldn’t get hit like my clothes did,” she said and laid back down. “The family could smell the scent from the beach and retrieved her. They came back and gave me some cleaner to help with the smell and I’ve been trying to get it out ever since,” she closed her eyes again, clearly exhausted.

Sidney let her rest and opened his email. _I’ll make this quick—I got your messages but crazy evening. Skunk. Horrible smell. I’m cleaning now but dropped my phone in the bucket so I couldn’t call. Hopefully, the expired bag of rice (and yes rice does expire) you had in the pantry will help. I saw the pictures—you and Diana look great! Crazy about Eliza though—we will most definitely need to work on that code. See you in the morning—bring the tux! Did I mention, you look amazingly sexy!_

She was clearly out for the night so Sidney removed Charlotte’s shoes and tucked her into bed then closed all the windows and added a few logs to the fire.

He heard the washer end and checked her clothes. After a quick sniff, they most definitely needed to go again. Still in his tux, Sidney leaned against the washer and smiled, relieved that there was no unnecessary drama and feeling what he believed what must be domestic bliss--being loved, trusted, and accepted just as he is. 

*****

Dear Diary,

Oh, happy day! Belly rubs and snuggling IN THE BED with Sidney. Time on the beach with Charlotte. Then Sidney came back early to cuddle me up! He rubbed my belly clockwise AND counterclockwise!

Tired now. I almost forgot. There was a skunk—I did well.

More later,

Butter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! And for your patience—as always I’ll try better with the next chapter!
> 
> If you haven’t read this brief interview with Rose Williams – please do. I based this version a bit on her real life… https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/6-things-to-know-about-rose-williams/
> 
> New fic that features massage and a DOG!!! The Unexpected… https://archiveofourown.org/works/27313294/chapters/66733978


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Hope you are all staying safe. Just a little chapter still at the cottage. Hope it’s okay and not too sappy—sometimes you just gotta write what you’re feeling. 😊 
> 
> Thanks again so much for all the lovely support—I so appreciate it as I’m trying to have some fun with this story and I know I do mess it up a bit! 
> 
> Please stay healthy! We can beat this thing and get our season 2!

Charlotte woke with a start, her eyes trying to focus in the dark room and she nervously held her breath. Feeling Sidney roll over in his sleep startled her momentarily—she had thought she dreamed his return. When she remembered he was truly there, she exhaled, content and smiling as she recollected how handsome he looked in his tuxedo. She couldn’t recall their exact conversation but had some memory of Sidney thinking she was in some way upset with him. She noted that she needed to ask him about that at some point. The only thing she was upset with, or more accurately concerned about, was the fact that she, or rather Butter, had twice now provided some rather unpleasantly scented experiences on this romantic getaway and was worried there might be a third—“don’t things come in threes?” she thought.

Wide awake, she crawled from the bed as quietly as possible and made her way to the bathroom. Every inch of her body ached from trying to rid the cottage from any evidence of the skunk and she felt the smell was still with her as she shed her clothes and warmed the shower. Charlotte let herself linger under the hot water and washed her hair twice trying to ensure she annihilated any remaining aroma. The warmth of the shower had relaxed her and all she wanted to do now was to climb back into bed for several more hours of sleep with Sidney. She felt guilty that he had driven back so late but was desperately happy that he was there. They weren’t even separated a day and she had genuinely missed him—Charlotte had never missed a man before in her life and to have that longing now was both frightening and exhilarating. 

She opened the shower door a crack to keep the steam in while she reached for the towel she had hung on the hook, but it was not there. Opening the fogged door further, she saw Sidney waiting to enfold her in the towel. He wrapped it around her and embraced her tightly to warm her. “I’m so happy I came back earlier than planned,” he said, kissing her gently.

“To a smelly disaster,” she tiredly joked.

“No,” he looked at her seriously. “To you—wonderful, spectacular, lovely, you,” he said as if his mantra. He slowly released her as he reached for another towel to dry her hair and then removed the towel wrapped around her to tenderly rub away any remaining water droplets from her body. As he wiped her feet, he looked up. “I do have to admit, I like this as well,” he said, running his hand up her now smooth leg, kissing her skin just above her knee.

All thoughts of sleep were replaced by the electrifying anticipation of just what Sidney might do next with his fingers, with his lips, with everything, and Charlotte reached her hand to caringly stroke his cheek—what she was feeling was so much more than physical—it was what she could only define as spiritual, but even that wasn’t the right word. He turned his head to kiss her palm, then held her wrist as he placed a soft, wet kiss on her racing pulse—his eyes never breaking contact with hers.

“I really…” Charlotte started but then stopped herself abruptly from what she was about to instinctively say. Her heart was so full but her head would not let her speak her feelings just yet.

Sidney stood up slowly, keeping her hand in his and looking into her eyes as he stood. He took her other hand in his as he smiled adoringly. “Me too.”

*****

The soft patter of rain against the window woke Sidney. It was later than the light in the room conveyed and he half expected Charlotte to be up but was happy to see her still sleeping next to him. The room was cold, but as usual, she had no blankets, not even a sheet. She laid naked on her stomach snuggled into her pillow. He quietly left the bed and dressed to wake a still-sleeping Butter and take her out for a quick yet wet walk before making breakfast for them all.

After putting Charlotte’s clothes through yet another wash cycle—wondering if the smell would ever dissipate—he made coffee then read Arthur’s instructions and warmed the vegetable quiche for breakfast. “I really should check on how much he charged me,” he thought to himself, knowing it was most likely ludicrous—with most of it going to tips for the staff—and he was happy to pay it. He felt thankful that he could call his brothers and sister friends. He knew he had a lot to feel grateful for and intended to take full advantage of the next forty-eight hours with Charlotte to ensure she most certainly knew she was at the top of that list. He looked back at the washer and opted to do something he knew he probably shouldn’t but had zero willpower.

*****

The coffee was nearly forty-five minutes old and the quiche had been ready a good fifteen minutes and Charlotte had yet to stir. Sidney made a tray and brought it into the bedroom. Butter had found a place near the fire he built when they returned after their walk and hadn’t moved, clearly settling in for a sleepy day.

Sidney gently placed the breakfast on the bedside table and contemplated the best way to wake her. He kneeled at the side of the bed and lovingly brushed her hair from her face as he lightly started to sing the morning song his mother had sung every morning to wake the Parker children. “Good morning….the birds are singing your name…it’s their sweet little song….wake up dearest, Charlotte…”

Charlotte opened her eyes to look into his and smiled.

He kissed her forehead. “Good morning sleepyhead,” he said as he stroked her cheek. “I come with gifts…” he lifted the coffee mug from the tray and held it out for her.

She took a sip and handed it back to him. “Thank you,” she said as she sat up and pulled the sheet to cover herself. Sidney retrieved some of his clothes for her to wear—“your clothes are on their third wash—you’ll need to slum it for a while in my things.” He held out the white Irish knit sweater and helped her put it on then handed her the coffee and a slice of quiche before settling in next to her.

The soft patter of the rain turned into a steady rhythm. Charlotte rarely slept so late, but the activities of the previous day—including the post-shower lovemaking—combined with the rainy grey sky made the bed look like a wonderful place to spend the day. “How about we camp out here for a while,” she said, leaning closer to him.

“I can think of no better place,” he said, placing a tender kiss on her cheek while she tried the quiche.

Except for a few quick dog walks, Charlotte and Sidney spent the day snuggled in the bed, reading to each other, talking, making love, napping, snacking on Arthur’s food. Sometimes they’d lay near the fire with Butter listening to Sidney’s vinyl collection. The only disturbance would be when Sidney gave belly rubs and Butter would break out into sneezes, making both Sidney and Charlotte take cover. It was the absolute definition of a lazy day—something two rather “type A” people had never truly experienced—and it was wonderful.

*****

Charlotte woke as the dawn light filled the room. It was Friday—their last full day together at the cottage—and she wanted to make the most of it. They decided it was best to head back late morning on Saturday so Charlotte could buy a new phone and so they could both have Sunday to get ready for the various meetings, her contract review, and fittings on Monday. They had no real idea yet of how they’d make this work back in London, but Charlotte was happy that Sidney finally had his windows protected from any paparazzi drones. She had a feeling—or at least was hoping—that she, Erika and Sophia would become good friends.

Charlotte thought she’d take the lead by walking Butter and making breakfast. She looked over her shoulder to check on Sidney, surprised to find him awake.

“I didn’t want to miss a minute today,” he said softly as he trailed his fingers down her back, resting his hand on the curve of her hip.

She smiled sweetly and backed her body into Sidney’s as his arms embraced her. After a few moments of enjoying the feeling of simply being together, Sidney’s lips found the soft skin at the front of her ear and placed tender kisses down her cheek as his hand traveled from her stomach to caress her hip then drape her leg back over his.

Charlotte turned her head and reached her hand to bring Sidney’s lips to hers and shared a deep kiss as his fingers slowly inched from her thigh to caress her soft curls, which he was quite happy were not, as she said, “groomed.” As he began to slowly stroke her, his other arm pulled her close and it was this closeness and feeling of safety that made this one of Charlotte’s favorite ways they shared this experience. Never in her life had she tried this position with anyone and was happy that this was only with him—that this was theirs.

Slowly they both began to move as one until desire quickened their pace and they fell back to sleep together.

*****

Thursday’s rain and wind seemed to transform the thankfully deserted beach with driftwood and other curiosities from the seafloor that kept Butter’s interest as they all took a leisurely walk. Both Sidney and Charlotte talked about everything and nothing at the same time, happy to be together.

“I’m sorry we didn’t spend time in town on this trip. Once they took my picture with Butter, I figured it wasn’t the best idea. You’ll come to appreciate the quiet…” he said as he threw a piece of driftwood for Butter to retrieve… “once you become a big star.”

“I don’t know about that,” she said, as he took her hand back into his. “I don’t even know if acting is something I want to do beyond this film yet.” She paused, “are you okay with that?”

Sidney stopped and looked her in the eyes. “I hope you know that I’m more than okay with whatever you want to do. To be clear—if you don’t want to do the film, if you’re having second thoughts, please tell me. You doing or not doing the film won’t change my feelings for you.”

“I appreciate you saying that. You don’t have to worry. I want to try this,” she said. “I’m more excited than scared, which I think is good. I just want to get through one before I think about anything else. Fair?”

“Very,” he said as he took her hand and led her up the path to the cottage with a wet, sandy, and tired Butter in tow.

“I almost forgot. I know it’s our last day, and I’m so sorry, but I do have a few calls I need to make and Judy has some things she needs me to take to London. I was thinking you could drive over and take tea with her and gather the items—she said she’d love to see you again,” he apologized, adding “as penance, I’ll clean up Butter.”

“Really? On our last day?” she said, giving him a disappointed look.

“It’s about the meetings on Monday and everything for the week after—if I don’t take these calls, we’ll be completely behind and I don’t want you to start off that way,” he said tenderly.

“So you’re saying you’re doing it for me?” she only half joked.

He gave her a pleading smile.

“Well, I don’t think your penance will be cleaning Butter, it will be what I do to your car. I haven’t driven in years,” she laughed somewhat maniacally and started back up the path. She stopped and turned, “and I bet I’ll be back fairly quickly—I doubt Judy will want to take tea with someone dressed like this,” she said of her only clothes that didn’t reek from skunk and that were spotted by the bleach-based solution she had used to clean the cottage.

“You look beautiful,” he said as she playfully stuck her tongue out at him and walked into the cottage. “Really beautiful.”

*****

“This is the control to the gate—just make sure you give yourself enough space. It opens inward. Do you want me to drive with you to the end of the driveway?” Charlotte shook her head as she adjusted the driver’s seat. “Can you give this to Judy, please? She’ll know what to do,” Sidney asked as he handed her a small envelope.

“Sure—you better get those calls done fast Mr. Parker—I’m there and back, and then you’re all mine,” she said with a determined grin. After some brief seconds of very painful gear grinding, which Charlotte could see deeply distressed Sidney, it all came back to her and Charlotte was on her way for the short trip.

Driving up to what she now called Pemberley in what looked like the clothes of a vagabond was not exactly the image Charlotte desired and she rehearsed just how she’d tell Judy the story of the skunk to explain her appearance. 

She pulled into the porte-cochère where Judy was there to wave her in. Charlotte looked at her and smiled. “Of course she’s incredibly smartly dressed today,” she thought to herself as she unhooked her seatbelt.

Without a phone or watch, Charlotte tried to spy the time but there was no clock in the room and Judy had placed her phone screen down on the table. It wasn’t as if she didn’t enjoy the company but it seemed as if it had been at least two hours and Charlotte was just eager to get back. She also wasn’t quite sure if she was ready to drive in the dark just yet.

“Well I guess it’s time to get going,” Judy said as she stood up from her chair.

“I almost forgot. Sidney asked me to give you this,” Charlotte said, pulling the envelope from her pocket.

“No dear, I think it’s for you. Go ahead and open it,” she said smiling.

 _Darling_ — _Please forgive my little deception. While I know my humble cottage isn’t Pemberley, I hope that you will join me for dinner and dancing tonight. Ask Judy for the packages. See you soon, Sidney_

Charlotte gave Judy a questioning look. 

“Follow me,” she said as Judy led her to an upstairs room. “I don’t know if you remember from our tour, but this at one time was the grand dressing room of one of the most important ladies in the country.” She opened the door to the large, mirrored room with delicately painted flowered walls and gilded trim at the ceiling.

Charlotte’s eyes widened as she saw several lovely gowns hung from a dressing screen as well as other necessities on the vanity. “I think he felt bad about the skunk ruining your clothes and had these sent down from London—they just arrived this morning. I think his sister, Diana, helped.”

Charlotte looked at Judy with confusion. “He knows I don’t need these things, right?” she said as she felt the soft silk of a red gown. “I would never ask for any of this.”

“Which is why I think he wanted to do it,” she explained. “I always knew he was a romantic—he just needed to find the right woman,” Judy said, giving Charlotte a wink. “Well, choose one and get ready—I’m under strict instructions to have you back in the car in forty minutes. Oh, and I’m a whiz with hair if you want help putting yours up—just give a yell,” she said, closing the door behind her.

Charlotte surveyed her selections and ran her fingers over the undergarments on the bed. There was a note and a small box with them.

_Hello Charlotte, I wanted you to know that Sidney picked out almost everything—well ten times what is here. I just helped whittle it down. Thank you for caring for his heart my friend, Diana_

_P.S. The earrings are a gift from Sidney._

Charlotte opened the box with the gold earrings she had worn on their first date. It was all so overwhelming but it was also so wonderful to feel truly cared for in a way she had never experienced.

Charlotte opted for an elegant black ladder lace gown with a square neckline and a fitted bodice leading to a godet panel skirt. She liked how it twirled and hoped that dancing was truly on their agenda. Diana had included a simple pair of black dancing slippers with another note: _I wasn’t sure about size—and he said you were either a six or a ten (yes, he forgot to look at your shoe size) so I just decided for simple._ Judy helped her fix her hair into a loose chignon that highlighted the precious gold earrings and quickly wrapped everything else to go.

As Charlotte approached the car, she stopped cold. “What is all this?” she asked as Andrew loaded three healthy-sized bags into the car. Judy looked at her, “that’s all the running clothes and other things Sidney purchased for you—I think you’ll need to teach that boy when to stop shopping.”

*****

“Do you think this is silly?” a tuxedo-clad Sidney asked Butter as he lit the last candle. “I should have just taken her somewhere special, right? I mean it’s not like she hasn’t been here all week and we have had a few, um, challenges,” he gave Butter a look then realised that he had already provided her two treats this afternoon—one after the mobile groomers had worked their magic and the other to keep her off the bed, which was now surrounded by gardenias. “That’s your last,” he said, worried he had already given her one too many.

As Sidney looked around the room, he was starting to doubt his plan. He had moved the living room furniture to the side so they could dance, and the only light in the cottage was supplied by candles and the fireplace. He had meticulously followed Arthur’s guidance and had even called him for reassurance when he wasn’t quite sure how to properly toast the walnut and camembert tartlet appetizer. “I guess there is no going back now,” he told Butter as he looked at his watch. “She’ll be here in a few minutes—best behavior, yes?” he nodded.

The rather beautiful Butter, who had yet to shake off the red silk bow around her neck as if knowing how lovely it highlighted her golden blond hair, gave him what looked to be a happy nod as she proceeded to devour her treat. 

*****

“It took her longer than expected, or maybe she’s just driving slow,” he told himself as he took a sip of wine, glancing again at his watch. She was nearly thirty minutes past the time he and Judy had planned.

“Maybe the gate is stuck,” he thought as he grabbed his coat from the hall closet and headed down the driveway but she was nowhere in sight.

He texted Judy – _Taking longer to decide on a dress than planned?_

He waited anxiously as Judy typed her response, then the cursor stopped and a moment later Judy called. “Is she not there? Charlotte left here nearly forty minutes ago.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to see the dress I was thinking about for Charlotte, it’s at the link below and on sale! 😊
> 
> https://www.goatfashion.com/us/jolene-lace-gown-black
> 
> As always, sorry for any typos -- busy work time and this is the best way to escape for a bit!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 😊 Short chapter.

Sidney did his best to calmly assess the situation as he stood at the end of his driveway and looked up and down the dark road. He dialed Charlotte’s number and hung up abruptly, realising she had no phone and was planning to pick up a new one tomorrow.

After quickly checking his email, just to be absolutely sure there was no word from her, he dialed the security service for his car as he walked back to the gate.

“Good evening. This is Nancy. Mr. Parker, how may I help you?” the confident voice gave him some relief.

“Good evening, Nancy, I need you to track my vehicle’s location immediately,” he said to the agent as Andrew and Judy pulled up to the gate, turning off their headlights as to not blind Sidney.

“Yes sir, one moment,” she said with the sense of urgency Sidney needed to hear.

Judy stepped out of her vehicle while Andrew waited behind the wheel, ready for instructions. “I have the staff on alert and they will call us if she goes back to the house—any word?”

“No,” Sidney shook his head. “She didn’t indicate anything to you, did she?” he asked, not expecting to hear that she had. After the misunderstanding earlier in the week and his rushed return from London, he had even more trust in her and that her word to abide by their “contract” was true. One thing he was very confident about was that Charlotte wasn’t someone to unnecessarily create drama.

“We’re here and Andrew has Milly with him just in case,” she said. “I’m sure it will be alright—perhaps she just missed the turn—this is an extremely dark driveway.”

“No, it’s something else,” he said, giving her an apprehensive look.

“Mr. Parker, your vehicle looks to be in the area and has been since its last stop some forty-five minutes ago. It appears to be making the same loop over and over. If your cell phone coordinates are correct, you should see it shortly. I’ll stay on the line, let me know if you want me to patch you through to the car’s cell speaker or call the authorities,” Nancy said.

Sidney raised his head and, in the distance, he could see a set of headlights approaching. Relieved, he instructed Andrew to turn on his car lights so Charlotte could see the drive—perhaps Judy was right, she had just missed the turn.

“Stop!” Judy warned. “Don’t turn them on yet—in fact, turn everything off—there is a second set of lights.”

They held their breaths while they watched Charlotte slowly pass. Sidney caught her eye as she pointed to the car behind her.

“Damn! It’s Jack Howard,” Sidney said as he hopped in the back seat behind Andrew.

“You have a restraining order on him, right...ever since he took pictures of the children in town here a year or so ago and then followed them to school in London,” Judy said aloud more for her and Andrew to assess their next steps instead of seeking confirmation from Sidney.

“Let’s go get Charlotte,” Andrew said, accelerating quickly while he gave directives to Sidney.

“Nancy, can you patch me in please,” Sidney asked, as they rapidly approach the cars.

After a brief moment, Nancy gave him the instructions to go ahead.

*****

While this was most certainly not the worst thing that had ever happened to Charlotte, it was gaining steam as the most annoying. She was so greatly looking forward to what Sidney had planned and was fairly frustrated when she spotted the car—that seemingly appeared out of nowhere—following her down the deserted road from Judy’s. In her gut she knew it was most likely a reporter or photographer and she became immediately and intensely protective of Sidney and Butter.

She decided to see if her rambling drive might dissuade her tail, but no luck. After punching nearly every button in the car trying to find some way to either launch the GPS so she could find a police station or initiate emergency communications to connect with help, she decided to just drive in a circle. She thought if she kept circling, Sidney would somehow know to head to the road to check on her at some point.

Leading whoever was behind her back to Sidney’s was not an option to her. She repeatedly had to quell the urge to just slam on the breaks, get out, and hit the person in the nose—but she knew that would only lead to bigger issues. And she most certainly didn’t want to lead them to Judy’s but felt that was her only safe destination--wanting to give it another fifteen minutes before she headed back.

“At least I was able to work the radio and have some good music,” she thought as the sultry sounds of Billie Holiday distracted her at least a little.

Suddenly the radio went silent and she could hear Sidney’s voice through the communication system. “Charlotte, are you okay?”

Sidney waited for a response then visualized the dashboard in front of her. “Press the button that looks like an upside-down showerhead to speak.”

“Yes. I’ve been expecting you—what took you so long?” she asked, surprisingly pleasantly. “I’m getting dizzy here. What do I do about my shadow?”

He exhaled, relieved that he found her and amazed that she was in such control. “You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice. Give me one sec.”

After consulting with Andrew and Judy, they had a plan. “Charlotte, we’re just about to you…you’re coming up to a part of the road with an expanded shoulder. Just put on the indicator and pull over, park, and duck down. Really, keep your head down to avoid the camera—this guy has no ethics and has been tailing me for years. We’ll be right there.”

“Okay, here we go,” Charlotte said, following Sidney’s instructions to the letter.

As Charlotte pulled the car to the shoulder, the following car quickly stopped and the driver, a large, swarthy mess of a man exited with camera in hand. At the same time, Sidney lept from Andrew’s car before it came to a complete stop.

“Mr. Howard!” he yelled, halting the man in his tracks. “I believe you are legally required to stay away—isn’t that what the papers clearly state?” Sidney shouted as he swiftly approached the rotund reporter.

“Sid Parker, I believe it is you who is approaching me,” he said, clearly starting to sweat.

“The orders include my cars, correct?” Sidney said, his voice lower as he was trying to stay calm and focus on his goal of getting this roach of a man to leave.

Both Judy and Andrew, who was armed with his heavy brass walking stick “Milly,” had worked their way behind Mr. Howard.

“I need you to leave this area now, Mr. Howard, or I’ll contact the authorities,” Sidney seethed, desperately wanting to check on Charlotte.

Mr. Howard caught Sidney’s eyes glance to the Rover, searching out Charlotte. “So who is the car? I thought you were on your way back on the Sliza track? Those photos are always a very lucrative prize,” he said, licking his lips. “Or is this a new girlfriend? Maybe a costar?” he questioned as he snapped a few pictures of Sidney whose fists were clenched tight.

“Leave now!” Sidney shouted, aggressively taking a few more steps closer. Sidney breathed deeply trying to cool himself. He didn’t need to revert to ‘that man’ who used his fists to solve conflicts—that was a brief moment in time and very long ago. He had worked hard to conquer that urge, especially with unscrupulous photographers, and had a lot to thank his family and Susan for in that regard. Losing his temper on a lowlife like Mr. Howard wasn’t worth it. Sidney brushed past Mr. Howard to the Rover, signaling for Charlotte to remain down as she gingerly crawled over the console to the passenger seat.

Mr. Howard smiled and raised his camera, looking to capture Sidney’s response to his coming words. “Oh, so not a costar, or a girlfriend then—just a weekend whore?” he sneered.

Sidney turned quickly and threw a blow, stopping his fist just short of it connecting with Mr. Howard’s quaking jaw. Mr. Howard fell to the ground in fear, wetting himself in the process. “You’re not worth it,” Sidney said as he looked up to Andrew and Judy. “Do you have this?”

“Yes,” Andrew said, placing Milly against Mr. Howard’s throat. Judy nodded as she deftly removed the memory card from the camera and placed it in her pocket without anyone’s but Charlotte’s notice. “We’ll let the authorities know he violated the order of protection.”

“Thank you,” Sidney said as he righted his tuxedo jacket and turned to join Charlotte.

Sidney’s breathing had yet to return to normal as he fastened his safety belt. Charlotte looked at him, never seeing him in such a state before, and was astounded at both his passion as well as his self-control.

“Are you alright?” she asked, reaching for his hand.

Sidney shook his head in disbelief. “You’re asking about me? After what you’ve been through?” he asked as he lifted his hand from hers and stroked her cheek, so thankful for her safety.

“So this wasn’t part of the evening’s plan then?” she smiled, leaning her cheek into his palm. She waited a moment, then took his hand, placed it on the gearshift, and gave him a nod to go.

*****

Sidney pulled up to the cottage and turned off the engine, not really knowing what to do next. He knew they hadn’t seen the last of Jack Howard or his callous crew. He wanted to apologize for everything and was trying to find the right words, but Charlotte started before he could speak.

“Okay Sidney, I need you to look at me and I need four things,” she said seriously, looking him directly in the eyes.

“First, you need to know that whatever the media, or an old girlfriend, or any other outsider does—I don’t blame you. You are not responsible for it and it doesn’t affect how I feel. It’s all just noise,” she said, giving him a determined look. “And I won’t give up our happiness for it and I expect that you won’t either.”

Sidney opened his mouth to speak, but her look quieted him.

“Second, what is with Andrew and Judy? They seemed all MI6 out there, tell me,” she asked.

Sidney looked at her sheepishly. “Well, do you really think that the people who own that type of house are going to hire two older caretakers who can’t, well, take care of things? They’re former Special Forces—don’t tell them you know,” he advised, taking her hands in his. “And the third?”

“I was a bit scared tonight, so I want to learn how to take care of myself—clearly you know how to take care of yourself,” she smiled, rubbing her fingers over his knuckles. “I want you to help me figure that out and connect me with the right people. And okay, this wasn’t on my list…but why don’t they have the buttons and dials labeled in your car?” she said, trying to lighten the tone. “It’s very frustrating.”

Sidney smiled and nodded. “We’ll figure that out. What else.”

“And…fourth...I want you to kiss me right now, tell me everything will be okay, and then go in that house and in ninety seconds, open the door and invite me in. I want to have the evening you planned—no excuses,” she commanded.

Sidney respected her determination and committed to following her orders, although he could feel her hands shake a bit when she said them. He leaned his forehead to hers, their eyes connecting deeply, then he kissed her tenderly. He returned his forehead to hers and wanted to tell her how magnificent and inspiring and courageous she was and how he couldn’t imagine a day without her, but he followed her direction and simply said, “everything will be okay,” as he squeezed her hands tightly.

He closed the car door behind him and mouthed “ninety seconds” through the window.

Charlotte nodded then waited for Sidney to go inside and watched with a full heart as he was lovingly greeted by Butter. She flipped down the visor to look in the mirror and wiped away a few nervous tears that she had held in then steadied herself. Charlotte was truly proud of both she and Sidney. If this week were something of a test of their ability to stay together in the real world of photographers, and exes, and bad smells, and laundry mishaps, and everything else—both silly and serious—she was determined that they would pass with flying colors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi—Sorry if I made anyone worry with the previous chapter! I was feeling like with all the humor and love, I needed to see a little bit of fight in Sidney and wanted to figure it out for them both. Hope that’s okay—as I often say, I screw up a lot with this! Evening coming up—hopefully for the weekend if work allows. Thank you again for being so lovely with your thoughts—it means more than the world to me! Stay safe my friends!
> 
> Shout out to @Piperholmes1 for putting the dress on Charlotte!! You made my week!! Thank you 😊 You can see it at the following link...hope that works!  
> https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmmOKPQXYAESPtC?format=jpg&name=900x900
> 
> I so love the dress but don’t think wearing it while working in front of my computer in a pandemic is the wisest of investments…or is it? It is on sale! That would make Zoom calls much more fun. Right? (put credit card down Renee!)


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and being so encouraging! This chapter is where my head is on a stormy day with a wet and smelly Butter. Stay safe my friends!

“Yes, she’s right outside,” Sidney said as he knelt and gave Butter a quick pet behind the ears. “I’m very happy too.” He stood and looked around the room while Butter sat patiently facing the door awaiting Charlotte. The white candles that illuminated the cottage still appeared to have several hours left, although he most certainly had replacements if needed. He quickly added a couple of logs to the weakening fire and surveyed the appetizers on the table as he continued to count to ninety in his head. “At least Arthur knows me well enough to recommend starters that should be served at room temperature,” he thought.

He smiled remembering Arthur’s advice. “If anything gets overdone, just pour my acclaimed, stupendous, and award-winning butter sauce on it and fill up her wine glass!”

Almost to ninety, Sidney stood at the door motionless as he suddenly appreciated the wave of emotions he’d experienced over the last hour. He had never been so scared and then so grateful in his life. Every prayer he whispered first for her safety and then for her return rushed through him and he felt both exhausted and energized at the same time—not thinking it possible to feel both at once. It seemed as if every emotion was exponentially intensified with Charlotte in a way that made him feel so much more alive and more himself, but better, truer. It dawned on him, with her he had stopped quoting his old movies…his last words to her that were not his own were— _I believe I am my best self...my truest self...when I’m with you_ —and those words now felt as if they were most certainly his own.

Charlotte stopped just short of the closed door. Even though she was nervous and scared today, she also had never felt so capable before and so welcomed to be so—to be herself. If she were with any man other than Sidney, she knew she would have spent this entire week trying to be what they wanted and apologizing—sorry for Butter eating the treats, sorry for not coming faster on the beach, sorry for letting the skunk in, sorry for letting a photographer follow her and everything else that she had absolutely no need to be sorry for. With Sidney, she didn’t feel that way. Being with him embolden her, made her feel as if she could achieve more, made her more confident in her mind and body, so much so that she was a true participant—with her own wants and desires—in their lovemaking from the start instead of a plaything for selfish hands. She remembered how easily, as if on instinct, she had completed what had become her favorite scene after they danced and started to truly understand it— _I believe I am my best self...my truest self...when I’m with you_.

*****

Sidney held the gardenia wrist corsage in his hand as he opened the door with the other to a waiting Charlotte. He had planned something he thought was charming and clever to say, but looking at her now, he had no words—he just inhaled as he could feel his eyes water, so happy she was safe and here with him.

Charlotte shared his deep breath, feeling the importance of the moment and kicking herself that, as a fairly clever writer, she had no way to articulate how she was feeling.

A wordless Butter, who had waited patiently for a whole five seconds, ran to Charlotte and lept up to place her paws on her, reclaiming Charlotte as one of the pack. Charlotte quickly knelt and embraced her lovely girl, finally understanding why Butter loved Sidney so much considering her former male owner. “Well don’t you look beautiful,” she said, straightening Butter’s bow as she looked up at Sidney with a grateful smile. Butter lovingly licked her face and Charlotte kissed her nose. As Charlotte stood, Sidney embraced her, needing to physically confirm that she was truly there with him. Charlotte leaned her head into his chest as her arms encircled him.

“I was so worried…I know how brave you are…I never meant…” Sidney began, unable to get the words out.

Charlotte wrapped her arms tightly around him. “I know…I know…” she said as she looked up at him.

“I so wanted to be able to just put what happened behind us and enjoy the night but I felt you shaking. You know you don’t have to be brave for me—you don’t have to be anything but yourself,” he almost implored, hugging her tighter.

“And that’s why I could deal with today—because I can be my best self with you…” she whispered, feeling as if he knew all of her thoughts over the last ninety seconds. After several contented moments, Charlotte pushed herself gently apart from him. “Is that for me?

Sidney remembered the gardenia corsage in his hand and slid it gently on her wrist then led her into the candlelit room where he enjoyed seeing her eyes and smile widen at the sight.

“I dreamt something like this once,” she said as Sidney placed his hand on her waist and started leading her in a slow dance. “It was a wonderful dream that my girl over there most rudely interrupted,” Charlotte glanced over at Butter who was stretch out on the sofa watching them intently.

Sidney was memorizing how the candlelight brought out the golden hue of her dark brown eyes as one of his favorite songs began to play…

_Look at me  
I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree  
And I feel like I'm clingin' to a cloud  
I can't understand  
I get misty, just holding your hand_

_Walk my way  
And a thousand violins begin to play  
Or it might be the sound of your hello  
That music I hear  
I get misty whenever you're near_

As the music swelled, he spun her around and they both smiled broadly as her dress beautifully twirled, catching the light.

_Don't you know that you're leading me on?  
And it's just what I want you to do  
Can't you see that I'm hopelessly lost?  
That's why I'm following you_

He pulled her back to him as the last verse played and they kept each other’s gaze, saying nothing.

_On my own  
When I wander through this wonderland alone  
Never knowing my right foot from my left  
My hat from my glove  
I'm too misty, and too much in love_

_Too misty  
And too much  
Too much in love_

  
Sidney placed a soft kiss on Charlotte’s lips and smiled, his heart so full he felt it might burst. “Charlotte,” he started. “I know we haven’t known each other very long…”

The sound of the fire alarm from the kitchen interrupted his impulsive declaration and he closed his eyes tightly. “Of course that’s going to happen,” he said, clearly exasperated. “Excuse me.”

Charlotte quickly followed him to the kitchen where smoke poured from the oven. She swiftly opened a window and fanned the alarm with a tea towel while Sidney removed the charred mess and tossed it in the sink, dousing it with water. “Arthur’s butter sauce won’t save this,” he muttered.

“Does the smell of garlicy smoke count as the third smell?” Charlotte wondered to herself. Both Sidney and Charlotte looked at each other as the alarm finally silenced and Charlotte let out a giggle. “So I think dinner’s done.”

Sidney gave her a look that said this was clearly not funny. “Too soon?” she laughed again. “There is always the wheel of cheese.”

“Charlotte, you don’t understand—this is very serious,” he gave her a grave glance and faced her. “Raise your right hand and repeat after me…I Charlotte Heywood.”

“I Charlotte Heywood,” she said trying gauge if he was joking or not.

“Will never, on penalty of…um… of… of being submerged in the cold waters of the cove…” he said, still with a somber face.

She repeated, losing her smile. “Will never, on penalty of being submerged in the cold waters of the cove…”

“Tell Arthur about the burnt roasted late fall vegetables with smoked camembert tartine,” he ended.

“Really, come on, are you joking?” she asked and he shook his head.

She continued… “tell Arthur about the burnt smoked vegetable, whatever, camembert thingy.”

“You really don’t know how much Arthur cares about his work—seriously, one word of this to him and you and I will be banned from his kitchen for life. Disrespecting his food, for him, is akin to stabbing him in the heart. I’m doing you a favor here,” he said, finally smiling. “And me too—what would I eat? ”

“I can think of something,” she said, looking over her shoulder and raising her eyebrow to him as she walked to the table for a glass of wine. “And…there is enough here in appetizers alone to feed a family of six—I think we’ll be fine,” she said then tried a Boursin fig as she studied the rest of the plates. “Everything is lovely…and this, this is simply gorgeous,” she said, twirling her dress again. “And the earrings—I can’t. You know you don’t need to do any of this for me, I just like being with you,” she said, reaching out her hand for him to join her.

Sidney held her hand and picked up his wine glass with the other. “I like just being with you too,” he said and gently clinked her glass in a small toast. “Consider the earrings my congratulations gift on being cast as the lead—that executive producer of yours, he is a wise one,” he smiled, noticing how the earrings seemed to look more beautiful than he ever thought before simply because they were on her. “And your clothes were ruined—you had nothing to wear. What else could I do?” he thought for a moment and leaned into her, placing his lips to her ear. “What was I thinking?” he whispered. “I could have had a naked Charlotte all day.” He kissed her neck then looked into her eyes as he took another taste of wine. 

“I thought you’d be tired of that by now,” she said and let out a light laugh.

“Oh, I don’t think I could ever tire of that,” he said, stepping closer and reaching for a fig.

Charlotte took a step back and blushed. “When we get back, you and I really need to have a discussion about your shopping manners—I’m not quite sure you understand exactly how to do it,” she said, as she turned and took a seat at the table and tried a crisped goat cheese tomato combination that simply melted in her mouth. “And,” she licked her fingers, “you are right, we can never tell Arthur about that tartine—I never want to be without these,” she said as she ate another goat cheese delight.

Sidney took a seat across from her as they sampled the assortment and made their way through a fine Malbec. They talked in detail about the coming week of meetings followed by the week at Babington’s estate where they decided to go up early before the rest of the cast and crew arrived. 

“We really need to decide on our code,” Sidney said, as he returned from the kitchen with an assortment of Arthur’s most delectable meringues.

“I know ‘touch up’ means a kiss and an ‘adjustment’ means we need to get to your trailer immediately—what can I use for something that just means, I lo… I think you’re wonderful?” she asked.

It was Sidney’s turn to blush. “I think we can say something like ‘I need my line.’ I intend to say that a lot. And if I want to tell you how much I believe in you I’ll say, ‘perfect light.’ Or, if I am particularly liking your breasts that day, I might say, ‘deep focus,’” he mischievously smirked.

“And if get mad and want to punish you, I might just flub my lines repeatedly at the cove—I’ll be warm on the beach while you can shiver in the water,” she joked, throwing a chocolate meringue at him.

He caught it and popped it in his mouth. “I know it’s not going to be easy, but if you ever see me write or mouth ‘PPC’ I’m only thinking of you, ma petite patate chaude. I still can’t believe how hot you sleep. I mean—is that healthy?”

“It’s who I am,” she said, remembering how she had apologized for that in the past with others but felt no need to now.

They sat silent for a short time as Sidney’s well-created romantic playlist kept them company. As Charlotte heard the beginning of the next song, she extended her hand to Sidney. “I love this song. Will you dance with me, Mr. Parker?”

Sidney bowed to her then took her hand and led her back to their makeshift dancefloor.

_Chances are 'cause I wear a silly grin  
The moment you come into view  
Chances are you think that I'm in love with you_

_Just because my composure sort of slips  
The moment that your lips meet mine  
Chances are you think my heart's your Valentine_

_In the magic of moonlight when I sigh, hold me close, dear  
Chances are you believe the stars that fill the skies are in my eyes_

_Guess you feel you'll always be the one and only one for me_  
And if you think you could  
Well, chances are your chances are awfully good

“Why do you love this song?” Sidney asked, holding her closely.

Charlotte took a deep breath, “before it all changed, I remember my parents dancing to this in the living room. I must have been four years old and I should have been sleeping. I remember looking at them from the top of the stairs—they were so happy and I always wanted to know that happiness,” she said. “I know that sounds silly.”

“No,” Sidney said, kissing her cheek gently. “I actually did the same with my parents—they would dance to this song in the kitchen.”

“I love that we share a similar memory,” Charlotte said quietly, leaning her head on his shoulder.

They danced for several more songs, talking about their hopes and dreams until the candles started to go out and the fire started to die.

“You’re a successful actor, and now an executive producer with your own company, what else is on your list, Mr. Parker?” Charlotte asked, so enjoying the closeness of him this night.

“You might think it’s silly—I want to direct. I thought about doing it with this film, but I knew I needed to learn more first,” he said, his eyes a bit starry.

“Tell me more—why is that so interesting to you?” she asked.

“The idea of your vision coming to life is simply beautiful—and of course there is that whole thing of people doing exactly what you tell them to do,” he smirked.

“Hmm, and now we’re back to the Sade discussion,” Charlotte joked as she released her hands and walked to retrieve her wine glass from the fireplace mantle, finishing the last sip that remained. They had danced for several hours and Butter had retired to the bedroom at least an hour ago. 

Sidney followed her to the fireplace and added another log. “More wine?” he asked, taking her empty glass from her hand.

Charlotte nodded and watched as he walked to the kitchen, disappearing into the large pantry to retrieve another bottle. It might have been the day, the discussion, or the fine Malbec—she truly had no idea where the idea came from but she decided to act on it without any regrets. She quickly moved one of the chairs that had been placed against the wall to create their dancefloor in front of the fireplace and took a seat. Sidney appeared with two glasses, surprised to see that Charlotte had abruptly ended their dancing. He handed her a glass and she took a sip, keeping her eyes locked with his.

“I’m interested in seeing what directing is like. Will you do something for me?” she asked, uncrossing and crossing her legs and giving him a sultry smile.

Sidney looked at her, a grin growing into a smile as he began to kneel at her feet.

“No, not that,” she commanded, her eyes telling him to step back. “Place your wine on the mantel and take off your clothes for me…slowly.”

He gave her a questioning and surprised look, then nodded after seeing a naughty grin flash then disappear from her face—her look now very serious.

After placing his wine on the mantel, he stood in front of her. “What first?” he asked softly.

“Kneel and remove your shoes and socks,” she said as she savored another sip of wine.

Sidney complied, keeping his eyes focused on hers as he lowered himself down and slowly untied his laces. He removed his shoes then slipped a finger under the back of one sock and slid it off, then the other. Rising to stand, he took the shoes and stood before Charlotte, then leaned over to put them under her chair —nearly but not grazing his cheek against hers.

He returned to his position in front of her and held the ribbon of his bow tie. “Yes, and give it to me,” she barely whispered, her heart pounding as she couldn’t believe she was initiating this and was enjoying it greatly.

Sidney lithely unknotted the silk bow and leaned over for Charlotte to pull it from his collar, bringing his lips close to hers—close enough to lick, but still keeping apart.

Charlotte laid the tie across her lap as Sidney stood. He ran his hands up to the lapels of his jacket. Charlotte nodded and Sidney complied, slipping the jacket down his arms and folding it over the adjacent chair.

“Your shirt—start with the cufflinks,” she said, uncrossing and crossing her legs again, her excitement and yearning growing.

Sidney obeyed, placing the platinum bars on the mantel. He took a sip of his wine then slyly smiled at the increasing pace of her breath which he could clearly see as her chest rose and fell in the sparkling dress that reflected the firelight.

With the freeing of each button on the crisp white fabric, he slowly stepped closer until he was again before her, his shirt open, providing her with a view of his sinewy torso that she had most certainly come to know. 

“Drop it to the floor, and turn around,” she said, smiling and taking another drink.

He stood with his bare back to her, the light of the fire highlighting every muscle. Charlotte fought the urge to rise and run her hands up his back and around his waist. Instead, she gave another order. “Remove your trousers.”

Sidney couldn’t help but be relieved by that command as they were starting to become constricting. He unfastened his belt and let them drop to the floor. He waited a moment before picking them up and laying them neatly next to his jacket then resumed his position with his back to Charlotte.

“Now your briefs, slowly, leave them on the floor,” she said, hoping the game was having its desired effect.

Sidney ran his fingers under the waistband and lowered the black briefs to the floor, leisurely kicking them toward his shirt. Charlotte’s eyes widened at the sight of his toned bum—she realised she most certainly had not given it enough attention. After a few moments, she nearly growled, “face me.”

She swallowed hard in seeing his desire growing before her, then raised her eyes to his as she stood. She wanted to reach for him but controlled herself. “Sit down, Mr. Parker,” she ordered. Sidney sat naked in the chair as Charlotte leaned over and clasped his hands, binding his wrists with the silk tie. “Don’t speak,” she demanded.

Charlotte stood in front of the fire and slowly removed her slippers, then ambled to Sidney and placed them under the chair next to his shoes—leaning over and lingering so he could see her heaving chest. She turned her back to him—“unzip me.”

Sidney lifted his bound hands and slowly lowered the fastener, desperate to push the gown from her body and frustrated that he was restrained.

She kept her back to him as she deliberately inched the dress down her body to the floor then gingerly picked it up and laid it gently next to his clothes. Before turning, she looked at him over her shoulder and caught his eyes, then very intentionally lowered her gaze and smiled at his increasingly hardening desire. 

She decided to keep her back to him as she unhooked her stockings from the black lace garter belt, rolling them down her legs and draping them one by one on top of his tuxedo jacket along with the belt. Still turned, she ran her hands up her sides to her hair, releasing the comb that had keep it up for so long. After shaking her hair out softly, Charlotte lowered her hands to unhook the clasps of her corset, again looking over her shoulder at him as she released the last—reminding herself to buy, and doubting she could afford, more Agent Provocateur. She licked her lips as she dropped the lace to the ground and hooked her fingers under the waistband of her silk panties and pulled them down inch-by-inch, throwing them over her shoulder deftly into his lap.

Sidney picked up the damp silk, lifted them to his face, and inhaled deeply as Charlotte turned to him in nothing but her antique earrings and gardenia corsage. She slowly walked to him and removed the panties from his grasp, throwing them to the floor. She lifted his constrained hands above his head and pushed his elbows back. “Leave them there, no touching,” she said as she placed her knees on the side of his thighs, straddling him, his desire fully erect between them.

She leaned her lips to his and kissed him softly, her hands gently caressing his arms then his chest, then every part of him. Slowly, he lowered his arms around her, his hands unable to touch what he most desired. Charlotte raised herself and allowed him to kiss her neck, then she pulled away. She would play this game for what seemed to Sidney to be an agonizing eternity—raising her breast so he could suckle her hard nipple then lower again. Finally, as she lowered herself again, he pulled her to him and quickly found her lips, his tongue seizing hers, his throbbing desire pressed hard against her.

Their lips still entangled, Charlotte swiftly retrieved the condom she had tucked into the side of the chair and slowly rolled it down his full length. He left kisses across her neck as she raised herself and guided him into her. Charlotte placed her hands on his shoulders as she began to rock, unhurriedly at first, then increasing the pace, only breaking their gaze as they happily both collapsed into each other.

Sitting in front of the fire, his head nuzzled into her neck, Sidney immediately planned their return to the cottage—certain that Charlotte would be the only woman who would ever know this place or know him. “Charlotte,” he whispered as he lifted his head to look into her eyes, forgetting all his thoughts as he met them.

“Sidney,” she uttered as she kissed him softly, then trailed her lips to his ear. “I think we’ll need a code for this too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! 😊 A few things…   
> 1\. I’ve been a vegetarian so long I really have no clue about how to write about nonvegetarian food.  
> 2\. Johnny Mathis is one of my favorite singers of any age—he’s actually incredible live in a way that’s hard to describe. “Chances Are” and “Misty” are simply amazing.   
> 3\. We’ll get back to the film in the next chapter—and yes, no declaration just yet. Soonish, promise. I most likely won’t be able to update until next week thanks to the surging Covid numbers—this is so terribly sad. Please stay safe.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 😊 Short Chapter—Busy working so Butter decided to lend a paw and took over. She apologizes in advance for typos—her paws are large and hits lots of keys, don’t tell her though! She is sensitive. Have a wonderful day and stay safe!

Dear Diary,

Well, another great day!

All is quiet now and I can have my meditation time.

Charlotte finally fell asleep. She and Sidney have been on Zoom since she fed me dinner—most of the time not even talking. They would just look at each other every so often and smile—I don’t get it. Why doesn’t he come over? Doesn’t he know I need belly rubs with his big, strong hands? I’m sure Charlotte would like rubs too.

This morning was a big rush—completely unnecessary if you ask me. I got up at normal time but neither of them wanted to take me out. Sidney just kissed me on the nose (YAY!) and fell back asleep and then Charlotte snuggled my ear (LOVE) and told me “10 more minutes,” which was a complete lie. So I went back to bed even though I had to go outside and was hungry at the same time. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote…“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” That’s me—I’m smart.

We were all sleeping and then Charlotte woke me up and rushed me outside—while I was happy to be out, it was awfully rude. She kept telling me we all slept late—well not all of us—I tried, they just stayed up too late doing stuff! She did say she was so proud I didn’t poop in the house—what does she think? I’m some kind of animal? Well, um, maybe.

They seemed to be all hurrying about while I ate, with Sidney almost knocking over my water dish as he packed up items from the fridge. There was lots of talk about getting Charlotte home so she could get her new phone before the store closed. I actually like that she doesn’t have a phone—more time for me.

When I saw Sidney put his bag in the car, I realised what was REALLY happening. Why would they ever want to leave? Fireplace, beach, lots of good smelling stuff. Hello! Skunk! And they seemed to be snuggling a lot and making happy sounds that made it appear as if they really liked it at the cottage.

I tried to show them why we should stay by running past Sidney when he opened the front door. I ran fast around the cottage and far down the beach. I went a little too fast though and didn’t know I was running through some big art thingy of a man in a top hat. There was lots of yelling and I ran back to the cottage through the waves. I love WATER! I think I’d look good in beaded hair like that woman running on the beach in that old movie Charlotte watched last month. I know I’m a 10.

Charlotte cuddled me up when I returned. Sidney didn’t look happy when he got back, so I stayed with Charlotte. I watched very closely as she loaded the treats—THAT WERE ON THE TOP SHELF OF THE HALL CLOSET…TOTALLY NOT FAIR—into the car and placed them on the floor where she sits.

I wanted to stop and visit all the places again that we saw on our drive there, but we only stopped once because Charlotte needed to use the bathroom. I didn’t so I stayed in the car with Sidney. I tried to get in the front seat to get the treats, but he gave me a discouraging look and then was very talky. He went on for a long time about why he hasn’t told Charlotte he loves her but that’s okay because he was rubbing my ears the entire time and so I was patient with his silliness. I tried to tell him, by licking his face, that there is no reason to be afraid of loving someone and telling them because the worst thing you can face is rejection, and if that happens, then you can just pee on their stuff.

I fell asleep and woke up when Sidney opened the car door to take me upstairs to Charlotte’s and my apartment. Even though it was cold and he had a scarf around half of his face I knew it was him because I know his scent—he’s one of our pack. There was lots of quiet when we got upstairs. He gave me a little bit of a belly rub and sneaked a treat to me—he’s a keeper.

There was a lot of kissing before Sidney left and then Charlotte gave me a treat—LOVE HER!—before she left for a new phone. We took a long walk when she got back. She seemed all distracted and kept asking me about Sidney and if it was too soon to tell him how she really felt. I tried to remind her that for me every year is actually like seven. Life is short so don’t waste time girl! Not sure if she understood.

She told me we’d have girls’ day tomorrow and take more walks, but that the rest of the week Marj would watch me during the day because she has meetings, and fittings and negotiations. I LOVE MARJ! She cuddles on the couch with me when she writes her stories. I like when she reads them aloud—no dog though—not an editorial criticism, it’s just dogs make things better.

As much as I like being here with my girl Charlotte, I hope Sidney comes back to our pack soon and remembers that treats are always welcome.

Be back soon,

Butter

*****

Dear Diary,

Today I met Tom Parker. I like him—he has lots of energy and is always up and walking and then sitting and then walking and standing and sitting again. He reminds me of a puppy but he doesn’t pee on himself which is very good. But I could see him being exhausting after a while though.

Charlotte called him to look over her acting contract even though Sidney told her it would be better to get a non-Parker perspective. She told me in private that she figured Tom had done fairly well setting up Sidney financially--even with some of those more interesting or what she called “questionable” roles–and thought it wouldn’t hurt. She actually didn’t think getting more money was needed since she danced around the flat for a good twenty minutes when she received the original offer—she said it would keep us in London for a bit and I’d get better treats, which is really the most important thing.

Tom was actually able to get her a percentage of the backend as the lead and of merchandise as the author (I don’t know what that means but backends are good and that’s how I greet my friends). Tom was happy and Charlotte was happy and she bought me a burger for dinner so YAY for Tom!

He said I can come and meet his children and there is one girl, Jenny, who is very anxious to see me. I can already tell she has good taste. And, when he was leaving, he said he could see me on the big screen—I think the Parker men are very smart.

I am looking forward to seeing Sidney. He hasn’t come over yet.

Hope I didn’t do something wrong. I never do, right?

Butter

*****

Dear Diary,

Who is this Eliza? She seems to be stirring up things with my pack and I’m not liking it.

Charlotte has been busy WORKING, WORKING, WORKING, most of this week and today something most certainly went wrong because she picked me up LATE from Marj’s and then slammed the front door, poured a glass of wine, then slid down to sit on the kitchen floor and pet me—she never does that—I mean she pets me, but not with a glass of wine on the floor.

ALSO, we usually go for a long walk on hump day—which I’m embarrassed to say I thought meant something else when I first heard that name for Wednesday—but we didn’t.

I put my head in her lap and we sat for a long time. Her phone rang and I could see Sidney’s face—YAY! But she didn’t pick it up. I tried to tell her that he’d make it better by pushing the phone to her with my paw, but that just made her shut off the ringer. Silly Charlotte!!

We finally went for a short walk. I did my business fast because I could tell this was not a time to sniff and leave lots of messages for my friends. When we got back, Sidney was there! He had that silly scarf on even in the hallway, but I knew it was him and he gave me a good but short belly rub while Charlotte unlocked the door.

I don’t understand everything that happened because Sidney gave me a treat—I LOVE SIDNEY—and I felt the need to eat it fast before Charlotte saw, but it sounds like this Eliza kept petting Sidney’s ear or leg or bum—I’m not sure, but neither Charlotte nor Sidney were happy about it and the bottom line is that, again, this Eliza is not one of our pack!

And then Charlotte pulled out some pages she said she got from Eliza. It was a proposed new scene that featured a flashback of Eliza’s and Sidney’s characters in a bed doing what Charlotte and Sidney were doing at the cottage A LOT last week. Charlotte said “no” and Sidney said “no” and they laughed a little, which I thought was good.

Poor Sidney looked tired as he sat on the couch and they talked about how to get through to Eliza. I don’t know this woman but it sounds like she lacks training—maybe she just needs obedience school like some dogs do, but not me of course. I’m perfect. A choke collar might work well for her too.

THEN—and I love this part—they talked about our trip to Babington’s—yes, I am going too! I don’t know who this fellow is, but I LOVE BABINGTON. He must be very smart since I’m invited. AND we leave Friday afternoon. YAY! 😊

Then they started kissing and headed to the bedroom. I thought it better to meditate again and gather my thoughts for my trip and plan my strategy for when I meet this Eliza. I think it will be fun.

My new mantra: Butter, you are a beautiful, timeless soul. Be your best self and shine your light on the world and pee on the bad people.

Talk soon,

Butter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just needed some silly fun during a frustrating Zoom call and thought I’d share what I wrote. Hope that's okay. More to come…


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Butter is now, even more, a DIVA thanks to your amazing comments. She wants a cut of the profits from this story and I’ve tried to explain to her—several times now—that this is not a revenue-generating venture, it’s about having fun! She is not convinced and is now conducting an audit of my finances.
> 
> Anyway…another chapter sans Butter’s diary, at least until I work out her compensation. This chapter answers some questions that she decided to just throw in the last chapter and is not as light as hers. Thanks, Butter for leaving me with the heavy stuff! and for criticising me over my shoulder the entire time while I wrote this.
> 
> Seriously, thanks for playing along with my idea of fun 😊 and putting up with a verbose chapter. Your support is more than gold, platinum and palladium combined!

Charlotte opened her eyes wide, ready for the day. She knew she needed to run before heading to the production office for two reasons. The first was to get herself focused for what would most certainly be an awkward conversation with Eliza about her recommended “intimate” scene with Sidney. She wanted to be able to calmly convey to who she now more clearly appreciated was a truly deceptive woman, that not only would the scene violate the film’s historical accuracy, but also make Sidney’s character seem less of a true gentleman that she, and was sure Jane, intended.

The second, and actually more annoying, was that the costume department recommended she lose some five pounds to better fit into the regency-style clothes. They already had to change the bustline of several designs and were worried that her natural curves may be too visible even under the flowing fabric. Considering how “active” she’d been over the last week with Sidney, she thought she’d burnt off a few pounds, but Arthur’s food was apparently a counterweight to those exercises. Adding insult to injury, Mrs. Griffiths, the lead dresser, advised her to “talk with Eliza…she really knows how to carry off these clothes.”

As to not disturb Sidney, Charlotte sat up slowly and lowered her feet to the floor. She looked back at him, feeling wonderfully contented then suddenly embarrassed. He was here, his leg half dangling off her full-sized bed in her tiny room with stacks of books precariously piled in strange places and a fresh layer of dog hair covering the bedspread.

She was also embarrassed about her behavior yesterday. She kept telling herself to ignore Eliza’s flirting, knowing that Sidney had no interest and trusting they were solid. Every time Eliza placed her hand on his shoulder or even when she slowly brushed some “invisible” lint from the back of his trousers with a lingering hand, Charlotte had rolled her eyes and laughed it off as the pathetic attempts of an old flame. It wasn’t until late Wednesday afternoon when she came upon Eliza and Sidney in the breakroom laughing about some shared memory from their years together that her confidence began to weaken. Then, when Eliza sought her out some thirty minutes later and handed her pages for an intimate scene that she said was approved by the executive producer, Charlotte started to feel broken.

She knew she needed to talk with Sidney but he was in a meeting and she decided it was better to leave and collect herself. Confident it was all a misunderstanding and trusting in Sidney, she couldn’t comprehend why her tears came quickly when she exited the building. “It’s all noise,” she kept telling herself as she hurriedly made her way across the parking lot toward the Tube, her words unable to deafen the emotional tintinnabulation that was deafening any logic.

She hated that she couldn’t seem to follow her own advice to him—and began to think herself terribly naive for believing she wouldn’t be bothered by Eliza’s presence. She just so wished they could go back to the cottage. Apart from virtually, they hadn’t spent any time alone together since they’d returned, believing it too risky to see each other with Jack Howard and his cronies seemingly more committed than ever to getting their “money shot.” Groups of reporters were parked outside Sidney’s flat twenty-four hours a day and she had spotted two of them when she exited the office lot.

What Charlotte had not realised was that Sidney had seen her and her tears through an office window and was trying to speed up his meeting so he could follow her. His calls were out of an increasing concern for her well-being but she assumed they were just what had become their normal routine of leaving the line open for the evening and she wanted to get herself together before answering so she wouldn’t appear jealous. As she took her time pulling herself together, she was unknowingly tearing him apart.

Seeing Sidney in her hallway, she hated how her immediate thought was that he was there to break up with her. Her lack of confidence in herself and in them was humbling. It was so easy to be confident when there was no one around, but back in the real world where she was a first-time writer, a first-time actress and now, for the first time, in love, she was finding it harder to be so self-assured. But one look from him, she felt stronger and just like at the cottage, more her true self. And after he admitted being somewhat jealous of how James Stringer seemed to flirt with Charlotte at every turn, they both nervously laughed at their own insecurities in these first weeks of their relationship.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Sidney asked as he quickly wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her back into bed. “Sophia isn’t coming for me for another hour and I have a lot of ideas of what we can do in that hour,” he said as he gently pressed his lips to her shoulder.

“I need to go for a run and get my head together to talk to Eliza about that scene,” she said, unsuccessfully trying to push him away.

“Nope—as executive producer and pissed-off boyfriend, that’s my privilege,” he said as his hands worked their way down her body to convince her to stay in bed. “I did a little work after you fell asleep—I’m meeting with her later today and Karla has a statement going out at the same time to announce I’m the executive producer. Eliza needs to know her manipulations won’t work here,” he quietly conveyed in her ear as his fingers began to explore.

“Maybe I should be there with you…I’m sure she’ll want to talk with me, or blame me after,” Charlotte said, becoming breathless.

“You won’t be there—you really need to work on becoming a lady,” he whispered as his mouth enveloped her breast.

“Excuse me!” she said, annoyed, reluctantly pushing his hands away for emphasis.

Sidney looked up and smirked. “Oh, no my dear,” he said inching his way down her body in apology. “Diana is very much looking to reviewing eighteenth-century etiquette with you today—you know, how to sit, how to sip tea, how to eat…” he started, kissing where his fingers had just been. “You start with little bites, tasting delicately before you devour it whole,” he directed, making it quite clear the next hour was most certainly his.

*****

“So, what brought this on,” Susan said, taking a small bite then a larger one of the raspberry meltaway cookie.

Sidney waited a moment then decided to dive right in. “I need help with Eliza,” he said, popping an entire meltaway into his mouth. Half chewing, he continued, “I wrongly believed that both she and I had grown since our time together, but she’s playing games—she’s the same, maybe worse.”

“Can you remove her from the film?” she asked, knowing the answer.

“No, not unless she does something harmful to the project—and the fact is, she is really good. She makes the character. It’s everything else she does that’s the problem,” he said.

“What does she want?” Susan asked, again knowing the answer.

Sidney shook his head.

“Come on, Sidney, be honest with me,” she said, finding his eyes. “Given what she’s said to the media, it’s fairly obvious.”

“She wants me back,” he said, embarrassed to utter it aloud.

“There was a time that news was all you lived for,” Susan looked at him, hoping Eliza’s manipulations hadn’t started working on his resolve.

“I know,” he said. “And that scares me…it scares me that those feelings were ever mine. I thought we could maybe become friends over time, but I know now that isn’t a good idea. I need her to stop her games…I need her to understand that we will never be what we were. I’m talking with her today. What do I say?” he asked, looking as lost as she’d ever seen him.

“Why is this so important right now?” Susan asked quietly.

Sidney matched Susan’s tone with his response. “Because she is hurting Charlotte, she is hurting the woman I love. And I need to make it right.”

*****

Diana greeted Charlotte with a quick hug then eyed her up and down. “We’ll make you into a lady yet!” she said excitedly. Then quickly added, “I don’t think that quite came out the right way…I mean a woman playing a lady?”

“I really don’t think that made it any better,” Arthur said as he ambled into the room with a tray of tea and biscuits.

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” Charlotte said happily, giving him a wide smile.

“I’m just here to show you what not to do,” he said, throwing her a wink. “I’m Diana’s most failed pupil.”

“It’s because you don’t listen. Silly Arthur, I could turn you into the beau of any ball,” Diana said as she helped him with the tray. “Just like I’ll help Charlotte,” she said again, wincing at Charlotte in apology.

“It’s fine,” she grinned at Diana, “I know we have a lot of work to do.”

“Pshaw, you are talented and lovely and now you just need to do that in a corset that restricts about half of your movements and limits your oxygen supply,” she laughed, pulling out a chair for her to sit. “Let’s catch up and I can show you a few things and then we can get you into costume so you can feel the difference.”

“Before we begin,” Charlotte started as she sat at the Georgian dining table. “Thank you both for your generosity—everything was wonderful last week.”

“We try our best to make up for our brother’s many shortcomings,” Arthur said as Diana gave him an admonishing smack on the shoulder.

“Sidney is just something of an acquired taste—and like us all, has his own eccentricities,” Diana said as she handed Charlotte an ornate lace napkin and demonstrated how to appropriately drape it across her lap.

“Like the shopping?” Charlotte asked.

Both Arthur and Diana tried admirably to hold it in, but quickly burst into laughter. “I’ve tried to help and he just can’t seem to concentrate—especially online. He’ll click on a few things and put them in his cart then go play the piano. He’ll come back, add to his cart, go and speed-read a book or do something else and then forget what he did—add more and hit purchase. I swear he’s a retailer’s dream,” she said. “You would have had a truckload of clothes of all sizes if I hadn’t stepped in—at least he knows when to ask for help—sometimes.” 

“Christmas two years ago was crazy,” Arthur laughed. “Sidney thought he was donating to an animal rescue site and they ended up delivering a heifer and a llama to Tom instead. For someone with a genius-level IQ, it’s insane that he can’t master something so simple. But it is nice to know he’s human,” he said as he poured a cup for Charlotte and then Diana.

“Genius IQ?” Charlotte asked, wondering if Sidney really needed to have yet another impressive trait.

“Actually, yes, but that’s just a test. How about we get started,” Diana said, giving Arthur a look to change the subject as his IQ was something Sidney was never keen on sharing.

“Oh don’t,” Arthur said. “Charlotte isn’t going to tease and belittle him like Eliza used to—Charlotte would encourage him,” he said, raising his cup to Charlotte as he took a sip.

Diana ignored Arthur’s comments and Charlotte followed her lead.

“We’ll start with some of the basics. Keeping the correct posture is incredibly important for your character—you don’t want to look rigid like Eliza’s character, but you don’t want to look like a washer-woman either. You’re a gentleman’s daughter and you need to carry yourself with some of that confidence…so shoulder’s back,” Diana demanded as she pulled Charlotte’s shoulders in alignment, thrusting her chest out toward Arthur who jokingly sat back in surprise.

“Better,” Diana said as she surveyed the results and gently lifted Charlotte’s chin. “From what I read, your character has some fears and inexperience—especially when it comes to Sidney’s character,” she smiled. “But you have an internal fortitude. The way you hold yourself on the screen communicates that strength to your audience. I’m going to fetch the corset.”

“Let’s get back to the important stuff—first, how was the food? No, wait, the really really important question…how did Butter like the treats? You know you can leave her with me some time,” Arthur said, eagerly. “I’d love to cook for her.”

“She loved them, and I’d appreciate that,” Charlotte said, easily seeing Arthur and Butter as fast friends with potentially some disastrous results.

“Actually—now for the most important topic…what did you think of my roasted late fall vegetables with smoked camembert tartine?” Arthur asked with enough childlike energy that Charlotte thought he might explode.

Charlotte measured her response—recalling how the fire alarm interrupted Sidney’s promising words. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget it,” Charlotte said truthfully, remembering to keep her posture straight and shoulders back.

Arthur smiled broadly. “I make a tartine with a special Langres that is to die for—I’m planning on making it for Babington’s next week. You should come to dinner tonight and I’ll run a test so you can taste,” he said, then whispered, “and I can spill the tea before we all spend a week with Eliza—forewarned is forearmed.”

Remembering the cutting words of Mrs. Griffiths, Charlotte asked, “do you have a diet menu?”

Arthur looked at her, aghast. “Bite your tongue!”

*****

Sidney paced back and forth in the conference room. Eliza was already five minutes late and he used her tardiness to silently review the three key things he needed to have her hear that he had discussed with Susan. It wouldn’t be hard for him to remember why this meeting was so important as just yesterday he watched Charlotte leave in tears from the same window overlooking the parking lot.

“Sweetheart!” Eliza smiled as she swept into the room.

She was most certainly larger than life and Sidney remembered how she used to dazzle him with her elaborate entrances that he now simply found annoying.

Eliza leaned to kiss him in greeting and Sidney, recoiled back, successfully avoiding her approach and instead directed her to the table.

Eliza quickly laughed it off, grandly unwrapped her cape, and set her Birkin on the table with a loud thud. “Be a dear and fetch me some coffee,” she said as she started to remove her dark brown leather gloves.

“Why don’t we make this quick and you can fetch your own,” he said clearly trying to hide his irritation, standing at the head of the table.

“Someone is in a mood. I remember when you used to get that way—I know how to help you relax,” she said, lightly stroking her thumb across her lower lip before lightly kissing it.

Sidney closed his eyes tightly, trying to erase the image as well as any memory of those times. “We need to talk about the rules,” Sidney said, focusing his eyes fiercely at hers as he placed his hands firmly on the table. “I think it’s best to be direct here. We are never getting back together. You need to stop your touching, you need to stop your comments to the press and you need to stop your games,” he stated definitively, waiting for her response.

Eliza laughed lightly. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” she said, giving him a smirk. “I’m only here to do a movie.”

They stared at each other for several moments. “Eliza,” he started. “I want this movie to go well—I want it to be yet another of your successes, but your actions are distracting and, quite frankly, disrespectful.”

Eliza started to look angry and tried unsuccessfully to replace her ire with a smile. “I really have no idea what you are referring to.”

“I will say it again. You will stop touching me, you will stop talking to the press about us, and you will stop coming up with ways for us to be together—you have no idea how much pain you’re causing,” he said, biting his lip as he knew that last phrase was a step too far.

“Pain?” Eliza inquired. “If I’m doing what you say, who am I hurting?”

He had given her information he never intended to provide. “Me, you are hurting me and you’re hurting this movie,” he fumbled as he slammed the pages of their erotic scene on the table. “This scene makes no sense for the film and would be a complete waste of time and resources—don’t go behind my back like this again.”

“Behind your back?” she smiled, now enjoying his anger. “I was just trying to propose a new idea…the executive producer…”

“I am the executive producer, Eliza. And I never signed off on this,” he glared at her as she held her smile although her body looked a little weaker. “As I said, stop touching, stop talking to the press, and stop playing games,” he said, picking up the pages and tearing them in half. “We have a lot of work to do—good work, and the Eliza I used to know would want to be part of this. If you can’t be one of the team, then you need to decide if this is a role you really want,” he said, knowing her leaving would most certainly hurt their box office but reasoning that without her may be his only path forward.

She stood and looked at him, her eyes now glassy.

Sidney didn’t intend to make her cry and fought the urge to comfort her, knowing he needed to continue. “If you show up at Babington’s I expect that means you agree to these rules. If you don’t agree, don’t show up,” he said as he opened the conference room door and let it close loudly behind him.

Eliza stood looking at the closed door. Her eyes were most certainly not glassy with tears, they were full of rage. “I can play along…for now, Sidney,” she said to herself as she searched her purse for her phone and turned to the window. “I know exactly what I need to do.” She quickly scrolled through her contacts and dialed. “Jack—I have some information…yes, same agreement. I need you and your crew to find out who Sidney is seeing…find her and tear her life apart. Yes, he’s leaving the office now,” she said as she watched Sidney head to his car. “I’ll send you a list of the women working on the film that may be potentials. And I’ll send you Babington’s address. I’m sure she’ll be there next week…I’ll get your men in, just get me a name.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any typos--been working a lot, tired eyes. Thanks for reading!  
> Let's have dinner with Arthur and go to Babington's!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for your lovely support! This is my fun place and I’m happy that sometimes I get it right so it’s fun for others too! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates the holiday. Please know that I am so grateful and thankful to everyone here! Stay safe and healthy my friends! And Butter says hello. She doesn’t know it, but she is about to get a bath. She has managed to roll in smelly things all day (including another dip in cold, muddy water). This will not go well for any of us.

“You have to be kidding,” Sidney muttered as he glanced in the rearview mirror, easily recognizing one of Jack Howard’s ‘associates.’ He quickly abandoned the notion of joining Charlotte at Diana’s and opted to head to his club to blow off some steam. Eliza’s expression when he left seemed to him to indicate that maybe some of what he said had penetrated her thick ego, but he couldn’t be certain and made a note to call Emily to have her work on a possible replacement for Eliza. It would most definitely be a blow to the film if she left and hoped it wouldn’t come to that but had to be prepared if it did and knew he couldn’t tolerate her latest behavior.

He was more concerned about the growing determination of the paparazzi that seemingly knew his every move. While he hoped that if Eliza stopped talking to the press their interest would die down in the near future, that didn’t help him today. He fought the urge to initiate some of his stunt driving skills and instead called Babington to talk about security.

“Sidney!” Babington answered, clearly out of breath. 

“Bad time?” Sidney asked, hearing the combined sounds of heavy breathing and muffled grunting in the background.

“Just one more…YES!” Babington nearly shouted, exhaling loudly.

Sidney sat silent, not quite sure what he had heard and wondering if he should just hang up. “Everything okay?” he finally managed to utter.

“Yes, at the club. Just finishing sixty squats—Julie is working up another pair of those leather pants for me and I need to be prepared,” he said, as he audibly took a large gulp from his water bottle. “What’s up?”

“Are you at the club? I’m driving in now. I thought you’d be in the country,” Sidney said, pulling into the private garage of the club, happy to watch the guard stop the reporter behind him.

Babington’s blush could be heard through the phone. “I’m actually in town for a little business and to drive Esther back with me tomorrow morning to get everything ready—she is really something you know,” he took a long pause while he recalled their parting kiss and the true feeling of wholeness he felt just by being near her.

“You still there?” Sidney asked.

“Yes sorry,” Babington smiled to himself and brought his head back into the conversation. “You and Charlotte still planning to come up tomorrow? They brought up the horses earlier in the week—and you’re right, that Katy is one ferocious and exhausting ride. She wore me out,” he said. “Oh, and I have the absolute perfect set up for you and Charlotte.”

Sidney looked again in the rearview mirror as the photographer clearly tried to bribe the guard and was met with a swift rebuke. “Yes, tomorrow…but I think I may need some help—can we grab a steam and talk after your workout?”

“I just started my glute routine—next, one-hundred clock lunges—so forty or fifty minutes?” Babington said.

“You must really like Esther,” Sidney laughed, putting the Rover into park.

“I do. And she really likes the leather pants,” he said, letting out a jolly roar.

*****

“So where are you now?” Esther asked. “I was hoping I’d find you at the office today so you could fill me in on you and Sidney—you need to tell me everything!”

“I’m in a car headed back to my flat—I spent the day learning how to be a lady,” Charlotte smirked as she remembered to pull her shoulders back and lift her chin. “And I’m not sure I can, um, really share any details right now about the cottage,” she said as she eyed the hackney driver. “I’ll fill you in this weekend—and I want to hear everything as well. Mr. Leather Pants, eh?” she asked lowering her voice as she noticed the driver grin at her in the rearview mirror.

Esther smiled to herself, remembering how Babington kissed her goodbye in such a way that her toes really did curl. “I like him…better than anyone… maybe even you, sweetheart,” she joked. “Oh—when you talk to Sidney, you need to find out what he said to Eliza earlier today. It was a bit of a show here.”

“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked, then looked at her phone to ensure there wasn’t a message from Sidney.

“They met then he left and Eliza hung around trying to get a list of the names and addresses of all the women in the cast and crew. She was like a deranged holiday elf saying she needed them for her Christmas card list. Poor Zara tried to put her off, but she was relentless saying we all needed to be one big family on set—something about her charity work and women helping women, it was all very confusing,” she said. “I actually think she may have tried to bribe Zara with her Birkin.”

Charlotte winced. “I really don’t like the idea of Eliza having my address.”

“Oh, not to worry,” Esther said. “I have no idea what you or I did to get on the naughty list, but I most definitely heard her say she didn’t need any of our information.”

*****

At lap eighty, Sidney finally felt like he could breathe as the tension of the day at last released. Confronting Eliza was both easier and harder than he thought. It was easier because he knew his ultimate motivation was to protect Charlotte—harder because it brought back too many memories of all of the times he should have stood his ground with Eliza earlier in life. He cringed thinking of the years he wasted and, as Susan helped him to understand, the toll being with her took on his confidence. He also recoiled at the pang of guilt that seemed to linger in his heart—feeling guilty if he had indeed made Eliza cry today with his forcefulness.

“That’s all past, let’s focus on now,” he thought to himself as he opened his locker then stripped off his trunks and wrapped a towel low around his waist. He smiled at the text from Charlotte… _Diana was wonderful and my “lady training” was fun. Heading out for a long run since Arthur invited me to dinner_ _😊_ _Please let me know how things went with E asap—XO._

_Heading into the steam room. Went as well as could be expected—I think. I’ll call later_. _Be careful. Howard is around—figuring out security for tomorrow._ ❤️ 

_Wait—what is this about dinner with Arthur—don’t believe a word he says!_

He secured his phone in his locker, grabbed another towel, and meandered to the steam room where he expected to find Babington, but was happy to find himself alone. The eucalyptus-infused steam was a god-send and he wondered if he could buy a steam room or maybe a sauna online. His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar groan. Sidney opened his eyes to a disturbing site—a clearly sore Babington walking somewhat bow-legged into the room.

“Between Katy and the exercises, I think I pulled something,” he said, stiffly sitting catty-corner from Sidney.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, Babington. You might want to pace yourself,” Sidney joked.

Babington shot him a grin. “Listen, I don’t think I’ve ever been so motivated. That Esther…” he stopped mid-thought as his mind seemed to be searching for the right words.

“You are lost my friend,” Sidney gave him a genuine smile. “I’m happy to see you this way.”

“And what of you and your Ms. Heywood? Did you properly ‘explore your characters?’” he asked.

Sidney responded only with a broader smile and a blush that was clearly visible, even in the heat of the steam. He waited a few moments and decided it was time to get down to business. “I know you have a good system in place but I’m worried about security—Mr. Howard is back.”

Babington sat up a bit straighter and gave Sidney a worried look as Sidney recapped Charlotte’s experience at the cottage. “They’ve been outside my flat and one even followed me here. They are much worse than the last time.”

“Those bastards,” Babington nearly growled, remembering how Jack Howard photographed Sidney’s nieces and nephews and tried to sell the story that they were somehow the result of some illicit affair between Sidney and his sister-in-law. “Disgusting,” he said through gritted teeth as he remembered the accusations that had enraged his good friend and caused a good deal of strain in their family.

“I have Sophia and Erika working on security for London but how are you thinking about your estate?” Sidney asked. “I think we may want to bring in reinforcements.”

“Leave it to me. I’ll reach out to my father’s old international security contacts—there was one woman in particular, Bayla, that should be able to help.”

“One woman?” Sidney asked.

“Oh yes—from what I remember, amongst twenty men, she’d have the advantage,” Babington said with a determined nod.

*****

“The secret is the garlic—I sauté it for not even a minute in some olive oil with a bit of sea salt, then add it with the cheese and butter,” Arthur instructed his guest who had assumed Sidney’s place in his kitchen. “It gives the dish that little umph for the taste buds.”

Charlotte watched with great interest as Arthur nimbly assembled the dish and placed it in the oven, closing the door with a bit of flair that reminded her of a conductor finishing a large orchestral performance. “So that gives us a good thirty minutes to chat,” he said as he tossed a kitchen towel over his shoulder and took a drink of his wine. He then topped his glass off and gave Charlotte another splash.

“I’ve never been the best cook—it’s fascinating to watch you work,” she said, her eyes taking in the frenzy around them in the hectic kitchen. “It seems even busier than the last time I was here—should I go?”

“We are—it’s fairly insane—and do not move your tushie from that stool,” he said, giving her a stern look. “I like to ensure everyone keeps a balance—including me. We’re booked solid for months and we’ve had to turn down dozens of catering requests. He took another sip of wine and looked around with a reflective look. “It’s something of a double-edged sword—when Sidney is hunted by the paparazzi, this place really thrives.”

“I think most people come for you, not Sidney,” Charlotte said, no longer able to resist the crisped beet and goat cheese appetizer laid out in front of her. “Your food is amazing,” she managed to utter with half of the morsel in her mouth.

“Oh, I know that sweetheart, I don’t have any problem with my ego,” he said smiling, patting her hand, and pushing the appetizer closer to her after taking one for himself. “I know I’m good at what I do and my people are the best. I have no doubt our food is spectacular. I also know a good number of people come here just to catch a glimpse of Sidney. With everything going on, I doubt I’ll see him around here for a while,” he said, his smile a bit weaker at the thought.

“Enough of that—so, things are good with you two?” he asked, pushing the appetizers even closer to her.

Charlotte smiled and gave him a quick nod.

“That makes me happy. You know, Diana, Tom, Mary, and I are pretty protective of Sidney,” he said, taking a seat on the stool next to her.

“Diana gave me that impression,” Charlotte said, remembering the not-so-subtle threat when being laced in her corset and wondered what Arthur might have in store.

“Diana is something of a quiet lioness—I’m even scared of her sometimes,” he said, giving her a look that assured Charlotte he most certainly experienced her fear. “We all have our reasons to protect Sidney and I’d never betray his confidence but I wanted to talk to you before you shared a house—no matter how huge it is—with Eliza. What has Sidney told you about her?”

“He hasn’t told me much—it sounds like they were in love and she left him. From what I’ve experienced so far—I think that she seems desperate and somewhat ridiculous,” she said, pushing the dish of appetizers away, hearing the words of Mrs. Griffiths in her head reminding her of the weight and Eliza’s ability to ‘wear the clothes.’

Arthur pushed it back. “I think she is all of that, but she is also dangerous. She has the ability to manipulate and control people. I hope that power has waned over the years, but I’m concerned. Diana filled me in about her actions on the red carpet last week and all of this ‘Sliza’ stuff in the news that I’m sure she’s responsible for—Sidney doesn’t need any of it.”

“I think Sidney is handling it…he’s talking with her today,” she said, remembering Arthur’s earlier comments at Diana’s. “You said something about her belittling Sidney?” Charlotte asked quietly, not wanting anyone to hear.

Arthur exhaled and pulled his stool closer. “I’m telling you this because I trust you Charlotte. I’d rather Sidney tell you, but I can’t wait on him. I need you as an ally when we get to Babington’s,” he gave her a serious look and she nodded in return, understanding the full weight Arthur was putting on this discussion and becoming slightly nervous.

“Sidney was always a sweet boy—he was ridiculously generous, loved nature and animals, danced with my mom and all the seniors at the community centre, annihilated the grading curve at school, broke athletic records in swimming and running without trying—all things that would normally make someone wonderfully popular—okay, maybe not the dancing with widows. Problem was, he did this when his classmates were three and four years older than he. You see, he skipped several levels. His classmates weren’t terribly friendly and he was something of an outcast. There was one boy in particular—Eddie I think was his name—that just made Sidney the target of every jab. Sidney never took the bait—he always had this internal fortitude that was really bolstered by our parents—but he did spend a lot of his time alone. Babington was his true friend—but he was at a different school.”

Arthur took a deep breath then further quieted the tone of his voice, “he did have a couple girlfriends when he was young, but when Eliza came along at university a few years his senior, it wasn’t as if Sidney had, um, a lot…any real experience with women. She came on so strong—she started by fawning over him and saying how lucky she was to be with him. That story quickly changed and she had him believing that he was desperately lucky to be with her. Someone who should have supported him did a wonderful job of making him feel worthless without her. And, unfortunately, with my parents gone, he didn’t have his traditional support system. To be honest, it was so insidious, none of us saw it coming and by the time we realized how she twisted his self-confidence, he was completely under her thrall.”

Charlotte knew the truth of Arthur’s words as the lyrics to Sidney’s song that he played on their first date echoed in her head.

“Sidney is incredibly smart—you give him any problem and he can solve it,” Arthur continued. “He has this ability to focus and quickly navigate to solutions for nearly any situation. The real issue is that he is terribly naïve—maybe that’s too cruel to say, maybe it’s more appropriate to say that he’s too trusting—when it comes to the opposite sex, especially those he loves. Which by the looks of it—puts you and Eliza in the same category.”

While Charlotte most certainly liked the idea of being loved by Sidney, the thought of being put in any category together with Eliza left a sour taste in her mouth and she took a sip of wine to wash it away.

Arthur rested his hand on hers, “sorry, I know that was a lot to lay on you—I thought you should know. Two other things.”

“There’s more?” she let out a light laugh. 

“Early in my career I did a lot of craft services and I’ve worked on a couple of Eliza’s films. Eliza is very good at ingratiating herself with the crew, so make sure you check your sources if something sounds a bit wacky,” he said. “On one movie, she convinced the head of the costume department that all the women on set really needed to lose between five and ten pounds—it was ridiculous. I couldn’t keep up with the requests for celery and green tea. The actresses were always in such a bad mood. It was a very scary set—hangry is a real thing,” Arthur’s eyes widened, conveying his genuine fear.

Charlotte thought back again to Mrs. Griffith’s words and wondered if Eliza was already working some of her magic and decided to help herself to another appetizer. “Thank you, the second thing?”

The timer dinged for Arthur to check on his creation. He opened the oven door slowly and closed it, setting the timer for another fifteen minutes. “Oh, yes, this is actually the most important thing. When can I meet Butter?”

Charlotte smiled, not expecting the happy question. A text from Sidney gave her the answer.

_Darling—slight change in plans. Too many reporters. You’ll drive with Babington and Esther tomorrow morning. He has a smallish Audi so I’ll follow later with Butter. Okay? Ask Arthur if he wants to come with me. Heading home. Will call you later. Miss you PPC. X ∞_

She looked up from her phone. “How does tomorrow sound?”

“Oh, I’ll bring treats!”

*****

This was most certainly one of the few times in her life that Charlotte was happy to be rather short of stature. Sitting in the back of Babington’s sportscar was not for the tall, but she was cozy enough. After a good hour of conversation about the house, the horses, and plans for the weekend before the rest of the cast and crew arrived, Babington and Esther fell into something of their own private and wordless conversation with their hands, which had been intertwined from the start of the ride. Charlotte decided to escape into some work and searched her bag for her notebook.

“Great,” she thought to herself. “I must have left it on the bed.” She had been rushed that morning as she finished packing and quickly spot-cleaned her flat so that it was a bit tidier when Sidney and Arthur arrived to pick up Butter. She most certainly did not want Arthur spotting any instant meals or packaged soup and made every effort to hide away any evidence of her lack of culinary skill.

She couldn’t remember if she left the notebook open or not so she decided to text Arthur for help.

*****

“Thank you for Charlotte’s key, Marj,” Sidney said, trying to retrieve his hand from her grip. After a few awkward moments, she finally released the key into his hand.

“Of course,” she smiled. “Let me know if you need any help opening the door.”

“I think I have it,” Sidney said and turned, feeling Marj’s eyes most certainly upon him.

Arthur chuckled at the sight and gave Marj a wave and a thumbs up.

“I never get tired of that,” Arthur said, quickly checking the text notification on his phone.

_Hi. I left my notebook on my bed—leather cover. Can you bring it?_

“Yes, hello there!” Arthur knelt as Butter looked up at Sidney to confirm that his companion was one of them. He was too excited in meeting Butter to hear the text alert for the last part of Charlotte’s message.

_Can you get it please—I don’t want Sidney to see what I’m working on yet._

Sidney gave Butter a nod and a quick pet. “Yep, he’s okay—good girl,” he said as he gathered the kibble and treats Charlotte had stacked on the counter.

“You can leave those store-bought monstrosities,” Arthur instructed. “I made healthy treats for my new girl.”

Butter stood face to face with Arthur, giving him the once over and smelling the lingering scent of what had become her most favorite treats. After a few moments, her tail started to wag and she nuzzled into his chest. “Yay, lovely friend! I have so much I am going to make for you,” he said as Butter licked his face.

Sidney laughed at the sight of what looked to be two old souls happily reuniting. “Ready?”

“Charlotte left her notebook on the bed—leather cover, can you grab it?” he said, now rubbing Butter’s belly.

Sidney looked around the room, first spotting Charlotte’s perfume. He took in the scent, looking forward to a weekend where they wouldn’t need to hide from reporters or keep their relationship a secret. Feeling even more in a rush, he quickly retrieved the open notebook from the bed then stopped when he read the first line… _For Sidney_. Among the crossed out lines and notes in the margins, there appeared to be replacement lyrics to the song he had played for her. His eyes filled with tears as he read through the pages, finally understanding what she was saying.

“Sidney, one sec, you’re not supposed to read…” Arthur stopped at the bedroom entrance with his phone in his hand. He could see Sidney’s tears and his stomach dropped. “Please say my trust in Charlotte wasn’t wrong,” Arthur thought to himself as he recalled all he had shared with her the night before. He stepped closer to Sidney. “Are you okay?”

“I’m great,” he smiled broadly at Arthur, looking almost like a schoolboy. “I’m absolutely wonderful.” Sidney closed the notebook. “Let’s not tell Charlotte about this,” he said, handing the notebook to Arthur as he walked to retrieve Butter’s lead.

Sidney knelt to fasten the leash to Butter’s collar and whispered into her ear, “you know I love your mother—and guess what I just read—she loves me too.”

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for lending Bayla! Another shout out to Panstick – oh, this story is so good-- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25884277/chapters/62897887
> 
> Also, not sure what story it is, but there is a #Midney story out there! Please put the address in the comments so people can read it! I know I’ve read a chapter but can’t find it!
> 
> As always—sorry for any typos!


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little chapter. Stay safe and healthy my friends! 

“Are you sure you don’t want to sit in the back with her?” Sidney asked Arthur, who had his arm awkwardly stretched back between the seats so he could rub Butter’s belly.

“We’re good,” he said, sneaking Butter another treat.

Sidney caught the pass. “Arthur! Enough! Release the dog and face forward. Seriously, I wasn’t kidding about the trip to the cottage. You have no idea what you’re doing with those treats.”

Butter ate what would be the last treat for the ride and quickly stood up on the center console and licked Sidney’s cheek. “Butter!” he smiled and gently pushed her back to her seat with one hand while he kept his other on the wheel. “Nothing like a lick full of crumbs,” he laughed, taking a handkerchief from Arthur’s extended hand.

“I like this look on you,” Arthur said, as he snapped a photo of Sidney then took back the damp handkerchief.

“What look—a mess?” Sidney asked as he rubbed the few remaining crumbs from his cheek.

“No,” Arthur said as he placed the used handkerchief in his pocket. “Happiness. I know you have a lot going on in that head of yours and a lot of pressure with the film. It’s good to see you so happy.”

“It’s become a lot easier these days,” Sidney said then turned and gave Arthur a quick smile followed by a look of disdain as he watched Arthur reach back again to pet Butter. “No treats, Arthur.”

Arthur smiled and nuzzled Butter’s ears as he took a quick picture.

They were quiet for a few moments. “You know Crowe will be there Sunday, right? You good with that?” Sidney asked, knowing the answer but wanting to confirm.

“Of course I’m good. He called to tell me earlier this week—I’m really happy he’s directing,” Arthur said, thinking of passing Butter another treat, but he reconsidered as Sidney kept glancing at him. “He and I talk about once or twice a month—we’re good friends, the past is the past and no one is to blame.”

“I just wanted to be sure,” Sidney said, remembering how happy Arthur and Crowe were together and how suddenly they fell apart.

“I wasn’t just filling a blank space for him and he wasn’t for me—no matter how it may have seemed to some people,” Arthur said. “We both know how controlling his family can be—and he wasn’t ready and that’s okay. He did not wound me—and I will always be there for him.”

“I actually don’t know how you do it, Arthur,” Sidney said, taking a sip of the hazelnut coffee from his travel mug that Arthur had filled for the trip. “You amaze me at every turn. You are kind, creative, and giving—hell, you’re on the shortlist for a knighthood this year for your charity work.”

“Damn it, Sidney, you know that should be you! That was all your idea to create a charity to feed the children on summer break and teach parents about nutrition—which is hysterical considering the amount of food, heck just the number of cookies you eat. You created the structure—I wish you’d take the credit,” Arthur said with an irritated tone that was rare. 

“No,” Sidney looked at him sincerely then turned his eyes to the road. “You made it a reality; I just drew up the plans.”

“And funded it completely,” Arthur took his hand. “We’re doing good things thanks to you.”

“Thanks to us,” Sidney gave his hand a squeeze. “And don’t be daft. I supplied the start-up funds, but it’s been running successfully for years thanks to you and the success of your restaurant. I know a good investment when I see it,” Sidney said, giving Arthur a quick wink.

“With your line of products going into grocery stores, I was thinking about expanding the charity—maybe finding a partner and focusing on children in conflict zones with a different model,” he said, releasing Arthur’s hand so he could have both hands on the wheel as the traffic thickened. “Would you want to do that? I was thinking Mary and Tom might take a role—especially with Tom’s international connections. It would be a lot of work—but good work.”

Arthur looked at Sidney, both amazed and frustrated. “First, yes—let’s talk. Second, how do you do that?”

“Do what?” Sidney said, completely not understanding Arthur’s question.

“A couple of minutes ago you’re monitoring Butter’s treat intake and asking about Crowe. Thirty minutes ago, you ran through all of your lines. An hour ago you looked like a schoolboy in love at Charlotte’s and earlier this morning you were negotiating like a badass to keep the rights of your third film and now you’re talking about expanding a charity. How does your mind bounce around like that?”

“It’s just always on I guess,” Sidney said sheepishly. “It’s not something I can really control.”

“Sounds exhausting,” Arthur replied, taking a sip of his own Kona blend. “You seriously need to figure out how to calm down. How does Charlotte deal with that?”

Sidney thought for a moment. “Actually, it’s strange, but when I’m with her, it’s easier to focus on what’s important. Things don’t race as much.”

Sidney waited a few moments to ask for Arthur’s advice on a topic he knew would not be welcomed but honestly needed to know. “How did you become friends with Crowe after everything?”

Arthur answered quickly. “It wasn’t like I said, ‘let’s still be friends.’ Neither of us were really to blame and we genuinely care for each other so naturally…wait,” Arthur became concerned. “Why are you asking?”

Sidney kept both hands gripped tightly on the wheel and took his time as he barely whispered, “when I talked with Eliza yesterday, I think I made her cry and while I know I needed to lay down the rules, maybe she’s changed and we can be friends and I want to know how to do that…I don’t really want enemies in my life…I cared for her once…”

“Stop the car! Seriously, STOP THE CAR NOW!” Arthur shouted.

Sidney looked at Arthur and realised that he was most certainly not joking. Sidney quickly pulled off of the motorway to a clearing. The Rover barely came to a halt when Arthur got out, slammed the door then stomped around yelling a variety of words and obscenities that Sidney could not readily make out. Sidney turned back to Butter, who gave him what was clearly a disappointed look and lowered her head between her paws. Arthur approached the door to reenter the car, then turned around and continued his rant. Sidney had never seen him this way and wondered if he should lock the car doors for his own safety.

Arthur returned to the door and took a deep breath before opening it and reclaimed his seat. “Okay, let’s talk about this rationally and look at the facts,” Arthur said, placing his hands on his thighs as he continued to breathe deeply.

Sidney was intensely regretting he had broached the topic and wished he could turn back time.

“Crowe and Eliza are completely different people. Crowe is wonderful and caring and helped me become a better person when I was with him and even beyond. It may have not worked out romantically between us, but we had trust and I know that I could call him today and he’d be there for me and would be a completely selfless friend,” Arthur paused then looked directly at Sidney. “So, can you say the same about Eliza?”

Sidney remained quiet, relieved that he at least had the foresight to have the right people around him on the film who would tell him the brutal truth. He nodded at Arthur. “Thank you,” he said as he pulled the car back onto the motorway.

“I know your mind is always working but maybe you should work a little harder to push those types of thoughts about Eliza aside and focus on what’s most important—which, from the looks of things earlier today, was most definitely Charlotte,” Arthur said, again taking his hand. “You are a good person who wants to see the best in everyone and make things better…but the reality is that some people can’t and won’t change and you need to be okay with that too. It’s a fairly hard truth about life.”

Sidney nodded. “It is.”

*****

“And this is your room for the next week,” Esther smiled, leading Charlotte into the bright and cheery corner room. It was most certainly not the largest of bedrooms in the house—although it was three times the size of hers at home—but it was exceptionally lovely with two walls lined with large windows that overlooked the fine grounds of Babington’s estate including the front pond. Charlotte ran her fingers lightly over the yellow silk brocade that covered one wall.

“Babington told me that the house records indicate that was hung back in 1802 and clearly it’s been well maintained. And everything in this room, from the lady’s writing desk by the window to the canopy bed, is original to the house,” Esther smiled. “I thought this room would be perfect for you.”

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Charlotte said, her eyes wide as she examined the titles that filled the bookcases on the west wall. She found what looked to be a first edition of Fanny Burney’s _Evelina: Or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World_ and carefully removed it from the shelf.

“I’d be careful which book you take,” Esther said, giving Charlotte a grin.

“Oh,” Charlotte said, gently returning the book. “Does Babington not want to lend his fine collection? I completely understand,” she said as she looked longingly at the tomes and took a step back.

“Not in the least—read away! I’d just be quite sure that when you take out Pope’s _An Essay on Criticism,_ you know what you’re in for,” she said, signaling for Charlotte to search out the book.

Charlotte found it at the far corner of the bottom shelf. With a nod from Esther, Charlotte pulled at the book and the entire bookcase moved forward, revealing a room beyond. Charlotte walked through the opening to a larger bedroom with walls paneled in dark mahogany, the floor covered in an intricate oriental rug, and a massive stone fireplace that ran the expanse of one wall.

“This is Sidney’s room. Isn’t it fabulous? I swear, I absolutely love Babington’s family—they’ve been scoundrels from the first—there are passageways like this all over the house,” Esther said, leading Charlotte back to her room. “Look here, what do you see?” Esther said taking Charlotte’s hands and positioning her before the full-length wall mirror.

“I see someone amazingly happy, Esther—you are beaming,” Charlotte said, looking at her friend.

Esther turned her back to the mirror, and Charlotte could see her blush in the reflection. “Can I tell you a secret, Charlotte?”

Charlotte smiled at her in the mirror.

“I really feel like I’m home. Not just here,” Esther’s eyes scanned the room. “But with Babington—it’s wonderful and scary all at the same time.”

“I think I can understand,” Charlotte said, broadening her smile and squeezing Esther’s hand.

“Oh, enough of that,” she said, quickly shaking off the sentiment. “Now push right here,” Esther said, leading Charlotte’s finger to a small latch on the side of the mirror’s wood frame. With a quiet click, the mirror opened to another room and they both stepped through. “This is my room,” Esther said, looking at her bags that had already been placed on her bed. “And there is a similar passageway to Babington’s. There was definitely a lot going on here in those chaste olden days of rules and propriety,” Esther said, letting out a hearty laugh. “Isn’t it wonderful!”

Charlotte gave Esther a surprised look then joined in the laughter. “I now understand all of those satisfied smiles of Babington’s ancestors in those portraits downstairs. This is quite naughty,” Charlotte said, remembering the more stoic looks of some of the grand lords and ladies and thinking they must have kept other rooms without such passageways.

“And don’t worry, if you’re not in the mood, there is a lock right under the switch so you can keep Sidney out—but considering how rosy you become at every mention of his name, I’m doubting you’ll use it,” Esther said, giving Charlotte a light nudge with her elbow. “Babington and I thought it best for everyone to be discreet once the rest of the cast and crew arrives—and he told me what’s going on with the press,” Esther said, her expression changing to one of concern, “…and what happened to you at the cottage.”

Charlotte gave her a half-smile and nodded as Esther pulled her close and gave her a tight hug. “You don’t have to worry about any of that here. I watched as Babington Zoomed with who might be the most intimidating women I’ve ever encountered.”

“Scarier than you?” Charlotte teased, pulling away to look at Esther.

“Yes—she’s some former super spy, Bayla, I think is her name. She’s not here in person—she’s in some undisclosed location—but this morning she had a force deployed throughout the grounds. If anyone tries anything, they most certainly won’t know what hit them,” Esther smirked. “Did you know that because law enforcement could take days to arrive at estates like this centuries ago, they actually have a holding cell in the stables just in case they needed to detain someone. I really can’t wait to see who might end up there this week,” Esther winked. “Let me show you and we can take the horses out for a quick ride.”

“That sounds wonderful—and Esther,” Charlotte said as they made their way to the hallway. “Don’t let Sidney know about the passageway just yet. I think I’d like to surprise him.”

*****

Sidney was not expecting to be halted at Babington’s gate. “This is new,” he said looking at Arthur as guards approached the car.

“Mr. Parker, Mr. Parker, Miss Butter, welcome. I’m Katie, a member of your security force. Give us a minute while we scan the car please,” she said, giving Sidney a smile. 

Arthur, Sidney and even Butter looked around as the guards used mirrors and scanners to inspect the vehicle. “You’re clean…go ahead, we’ll call the main house for you to let them know you’re on your way up.”

Sidney gave the guards a wave then closed his window. “Babington is definitely taking this seriously,” he said driving much slower than he typically would.

“It’s been years since I’ve been here,” Arthur said, remembering some of the parties he and Crowe attended when Babington went through something of an EDM phase and decided to transform the gardens into a makeshift music festival for his closest one hundred or so friends. “That was a strange year,” he said.

“To be honest, I’m happy I was out of the country filming during that time—Babington has certainly done some interesting things to find himself. You have to respect his sense of adventure—although I suspect his searching has come to something of an end,” Sidney said as he watched Esther cross the field riding Katy toward them followed by Charlotte on Mercy.

Esther quickly dismounted and handed the reins to Charlotte as she approached the car. “I’ll trade you,” she said to Sidney. “How about I take your brother and Butter and get them settled and you take Katy back to the stables,” she said while petting Butter who had managed to figure out how to lower the back window with her paw and was focused more on the two horses than on Esther. “If that’s okay with you…Arthur, right?” she asked.

Arthur nodded and eagerly extended his hand in greeting.

“How could I refuse such a brilliant offer,” Sidney said, looking up at Charlotte. Her hair was wonderfully wild and her cheeks red from both the exertion and the autumn chill.

“Love you Butter—who’s a good girl? I’ll see you in a little bit,” Charlotte said and waved as Butter sat motionless looking wide-eyed at the large creatures.

“I don’t think she’s ever seen a horse before,” Charlotte laughed at Butter. She turned to Sidney as he took the saddle. “Do you think you can keep up?” she asked, turning Mercy toward the woods.

“Try me,” Sidney said happily, starting off before Charlotte could take the lead.

After several minutes, Sidney brought Katy to a slow walk then stopped and dismounted at the river. Charlotte followed and they secured the horses’ reins to a low branch. 

“Everything go okay getting here?” Sidney said, pulling her close and reviewing every feature of her face.

“Uneventful—you?” she asked, hoping Butter hadn’t caused any issues.

“Apart from the fact that my brother is basically in love with your dog, all went just fine. I’m starting to think he’s taken my place in her heart,” he laughed.

“So that puts me in third these days,” Charlotte said as she pulled him closer, bringing her arms tightly around his waist.

“I missed not driving up with you,” he said, kissing her gently on the forehead. “Although after holding Arthur’s hand for part of the drive, he does have softer skin than you do.”

Charlotte laughed and pushed him away, but Sidney quickly took her hand and drew her back to him. He looked at her adoringly, his eyes soft and a slight smile on his face. “What have you done to me, Charlotte?”

Charlotte looked at him quizzically, not knowing how to answer.

“I’ve never known such happiness—how can I ever give to you what you’ve given to me?” he asked sincerely.

Charlotte shook her head. “Don’t be silly. You already have,” she said, raising her hand to his cheek and placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

They stared at each other with deep understanding, knowing in just a few days’ time, they’d be under scrutiny again. Charlotte took Sidney’s hands and lowered herself onto the dry grass, tugging him down with her and welcoming him to the ground with a tender kiss that grew increasingly passionate as their hands worked to unburden the other of their clothes.

The cold air on Charlotte’s skin as Sidney unbuttoned first her jacket then her blouse made her gasp lightly until Sidney trailed warm kisses from her neck to her navel. As his hands worked to unbutton her jeans, she deftly worked on the zipper of his. It was Esther’s voice seemingly out of nowhere that brought them to an awkward halt. “Charlotte, come in…Charlotte.”

Charlotte looked at Sidney, exasperated, remembering that security had recommended they use dedicated radios instead of cell phones to avoid any nefarious signal interception on the property. She fumbled around and pulled the radio from her jacket pocket as Sidney sat back on his heels.

“Hello,” Charlotte said into the receiver as she looked around. 

“Yes, Charlotte, I just got a call from security. As a reminder, thanks to Bayla, they’re using some rather high-tech, I think government-type satellite surveillance to secure the property—so you might want to do that inside unless you and Sidney want an audience, which is fine if that’s what you’re into, no judgment here,” she said, as Arthur could be heard laughing in the background. “See you for cocktails in about an hour and a half—have fun you two!”

Charlotte looked at Sidney then dropped her head to the ground and started to laugh. “Of course—open spaces are simply not our thing,” she said breathless from laughter. Sidney shared her laugh as he buttoned her blouse and coat then helped her to her feet. “Do you think they’ve even put cameras in the stables?” Sidney asked, handing her Mercy’s reins after she took the saddle.

“I’m not sure, but what I do know is that it will take us fifteen minutes to get to the stables and then another fifteen to get back to the house, which leaves an hour before cocktails—so giddy up, Mr. Parker,” she said, giving him a grin.

Sidney watched Charlotte take off on Mercy before he even had a chance to mount Katy. “Okay girl, don’t let me down,” he said, giving her a pat on her shoulder as they took off after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being so wonderfully supportive! I may not always respond to every comment because, truthfully, I am so at a loss for words because of your kindness that after 10 minutes of trying to write something smart and clever, it looks stupid and foolish and I delete it. I’m a complete Emily Post failure. Please know they mean so much even if I stumble on a response 😊
> 
> Also, after reviewing this chapter I think it sounds as if I am promoting Sidney and Arthur for sainthood—I may need to tone that down, but this is fiction after all and was a fun chapter for me to write while dealing with the stomach flu. Hope it was okay. I’ll keep trying 😊 BTW, Butter is fine—and has been a wonderful snuggler. She has received far too many treats for her nursemaid efforts. Thanks, Butter!


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi – thank you for reading. Been a crazy week—a somewhat rambling chapter as my mind wandered but I thought I’d at least set the stage 😊. Sorry for the mess and any typos! Have a great day and stay safe!

Charlotte most definitely had taken the lead and was out of sight before Katy got up to full speed. Sidney knew their time alone would be limited when returning to the house so he did his best to quickly traverse to the stables in anticipation of possibly a few moments alone with Charlotte where at least an unwitnessed, passionate kiss might be had. Those hopes were quickly dashed as, when he came upon the paddock, he was met with the disappointing sight of Charlotte passing Mercy’s reins to the groom as another handler emerged from the stable to await his return with Katy. “I’m really missing the seclusion of the cottage,” he thought as he gave Charlotte a look, seeing it was clear she shared his thinking.

The groom, a young and handsome man who looked about the same age as Charlotte continued to chat her up as Sidney gave Katy a nuzzle and thanked her for the ride before passing the reins to the handler. Sidney waited a few more moments before interrupting their conversation—unfortunately, it was a few moments too late though as, out of politeness, Charlotte agreed to a tour of the stables with the groom to meet the other horses. “Sounds great,” Sidney said, making it clear he was joining them, much to the disappointment of the eager young man. 

Some thirty minutes later Sidney and Charlotte made their way hand-in-hand back to the main house. The brisk autumn air kept their cheeks a healthy shade of pink as they enjoyed each other’s quiet company.

“He has a bit of a crush,” Sidney said, breaking the silence as they came to the top of the hill that overlooked the main house.

“Oh, I doubt that,” she said, giving him a shy smile.

“Really? You know he didn’t look at me once during the entire tour, most especially when he talked about the ‘magic’ of a moonlit ride,” Sidney stopped and pulled Charlotte to him.

“You heard that?” she laughed, a little embarrassed by the young man’s awkward invitation. “You know I need to keep my options open—are you offering something better?”

Sidney gave her his best seductive look that he mastered making commercials early in his career for an expensive cologne. “I think I can come up with something,” he growled enticingly in her as his hand trailed down her back toward her bum.

Charlotte closed her eyes in anticipation of something wonderful—“let them watch and be jealous,” she thought, throwing all caution to the wind. She was not expecting the abrupt halt of his hand nor the burst of laughter in her ear.

“Sorry,” he said still laughing. She looked at him and he turned her around to see their latest interruption. A joyful Butter, who had clearly found the pond and was both wet, muddy, and smelly—a lethal combination—bounded toward them. Arthur jogged very slowly behind laughing as he texted a variety of videos and pictures of Butter to Jenny and the rest of the children.

“There is absolutely no avoiding this,” Charlotte laughed as she happily dropped to her knees to welcome the messy hound who was glad to stop just short of her arms, thoroughly shake—spreading mud and water all over Charlotte—before finally nuzzling close to her. “I missed you too,” Charlotte said, giving the one clean part on the dog’s body—her nose—a kiss.

Sidney watched Charlotte with Butter. It was heartening to witness such genuine love and kindness without caring about any mess. From what she had told him, while Butter was fed and walked by her former owner, she was most certainly denied affection. She was used primarily as bait to make her owner seem more “human” to potential dates. While their situations were certainly different, Sidney wondered if he was something like Butter—rescued by Charlotte and a bit of a mess.

“You have to see this,” Arthur laughed, holding out his phone to Sidney. “The kids love them!”

Sidney watched the videos of Butter playing in the pond, chasing the swans, and rolling in every plot of mud she could find. “Did you ever consider that her becoming filthy would require, I don’t know…maybe a bath?” he questioned, handing the phone back to Arthur.

“Well, I better be off. I gave directions to the staff in the kitchen and cocktails and appetizers await us fairly soon,” Arthur said, giving Sidney and Charlotte a quick wave as he swiftly turned and headed back to the house. “See you in a bit.”

“I’ll take her back to the stables for a bath. I saw a shower set up for the horses,” Charlotte said, wiping her muddy hands on her jeans then turning for the stables.

“Excuse me, Ms. Heywood. Don’t even think about it. I’m not giving the stable boy the chance to ravish you in the hayloft. I’ll take her,” he joked. “While I think you might look rather lovely with hay in your hair—I’d like to do the ravishing.”

He kissed her quickly and started to run toward the stables with Butter. “Go shower—I’ll be back in a flash.”

*****

A rather wet Sidney gave Butter a frustrated look as he opened the door of the SUV and she happily hopped to the ground. “I hope you had a really lovely time,” he said, shaking his head.

“Thank you for your help Katie,” he waved as he quickly led a perfectly clean Butter into the house. He nearly growled at the dog when he looked at his watch.

“Well, that was a little longer than a flash,” Charlotte said as she met Sidney and Butter at the bottom of the large mahogany staircase. “I was about to send the security force out to find you.”

“Oh, they were involved,” he said, staring accusingly at Butter, who was looking terribly proud. “She and Katy became fast friends and someone left the gate open so they thought they’d go for a run. We had to track them down using the spy satellite,” he said pointing to the sky. “Security put a tracker on her collar so we can perhaps avoid this over the next week—it’s been an exciting hour.”

Charlotte gave Sidney an apologetic look and stepped to hug him, but held back, the smell more than off-putting.

“You don’t want to know—wet animal shower, curious dog, manure…I’m going to wash it all away,” he said, passing her with a wide berth. At the top of the stairs, he stopped and looked back as she headed into the library. She wore the cornflower blue silk dress from the first time they danced and her hair was loosely tied back in the same way it was that day. “Charlotte,” he yelled, louder than he intended. “Don’t for a minute think I didn’t notice how beautiful you look.”

She smiled up at him. If it wasn’t for Esther calling her from the other room, she would have followed him up the stairs for their missed rendezvous.

*****

After a long evening of an abundance of good food, embarrassing stories about each other, and far too many drinks, the party of five staggered to their respective rooms while Butter opted to stay behind on the rather extravagant sofa that no one apart from Babington noticed she decided to occupy mid-way through the evening.

Before taking the stairs, Sidney clumsily took Charlotte’s hand. “Dance?” he managed to utter, pulling her to him.

She stumbled into his chest and laughed as she tried to regain her balance--her stockinged feet sliding across the marble floor. “Shoes?” she said to herself, peering around for them as Sidney looked down at her.

“You are really short, aren’t you?” he stated as if it were some new and genius observation. “Stand on my feet.” For the next twenty minutes, he inelegantly danced around with her laughing and clinging to him as he thought he was singing love songs but actually was simply slowing repeating lyrics from _Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?_

With the clock striking three a.m., they awkwardly tripped their way up the stairs as they unsuccessfully attempted to remove each other’s clothes. “Bathroom. See you in five,” Charlotte said as she left Sidney at the door of his room. She tried to kiss him seductively but ended up slamming her nose into his shoulder before turning to her room.

Charlotte quickly stumbled to her bathroom, undressed, and then fell into bed to await Sidney. Little did she know Sidney had done the same and they were both passed out alone in their individual rooms within ninety seconds.

Some two hours later, Sidney awoke still very much intoxicated and a touch nauseous. He reached across the bed for Charlotte. Upon finding himself alone he decided to go on what he believed was a most noble and important quest to find her.

*****

Charlotte squinted her eyes to what appeared to be late morning light, her head slightly pounding. “There is a reason I usually stop at two,” she said as she rolled over to face Sidney but found herself alone. She turned on her back and after a few minutes of staring at the ceiling the desire for water overwhelmed her and she padded into the shower and gulped the water as it streamed down.

Feeling somewhat alive, she thought she’d surprise Sidney and opened the bookcase, but found his room empty with last night’s clothes strewn about. “I don’t think this is a good sign,” she said to herself as she closed the bookcase.

“Charlotte,” she heard her name and it was almost a whisper. She looked around her room and heard it again. She picked up the radio. “Esther is that you?” she asked.

“You need to come to Babington’s room now. You don’t want to miss this,” she said quietly.

Charlotte quickly threw on a sweater and a pair of jeans and walked down the hallway. She counted the doors then quietly turned the knob. She entered the large suite on tip-toes. The heavy curtains closed, the room was dark with only slight slivers of light and Charlotte let out a light gasp as Esther reached for her hand. “Shhh. I couldn’t resist showing you—let’s let them sleep and we can grab breakfast,” Esther whispered, turning Charlotte toward the bed.

Charlotte held back a giggle. Dressed only in their boxers, Sidney was big spoon to Babington’s little, with their arms lovingly entwined.

Charlotte and Esther backed from the room to the hallway and walked to Esther’s room where she quickly dressed. Sitting on the edge of Esther’s bed, Charlotte started to wonder if maybe something had happened between Babington and Sidney—the world was a lot bigger than she had personally experienced and realised she actually knew very little of Sidney’s background apart from Eliza.

“Don’t worry Charlotte,” Esther said, reading her mind as she tucked her red blouse into her jeans and then pulled on a white jumper. “I know all about Babington’s explorations and Sidney is not one of them.” She extended her hand to Charlotte and pulled her up to her feet. “And anyway, I heard him when he crawled into bed but was too tired to care, he called Babington ‘Charlotte.’”

“I’m actually not sure if I should be relieved or insulted that Sidney mistook Babington for me,” she laughed lightly, still nursing her hangover, as they headed down to the kitchen. 

*****

Arthur was amazingly happy and entirely unaffected, which Charlotte and Esther found completely annoying.

“Butter and I already did two miles, she wanted to see her new friend. Here are pictures,” he said, handing the phone to Charlotte.

“Thank you for taking care of her, Arthur. I don’t ever think I’ve seen a horse and a dog be such friends,” she said before shoveling a lovely pile of greasy hash browns with over-easy eggs into her mouth. She handed back the phone and then slipped a piece of bacon to Butter who sat attentively between Charlotte and Esther ready for droppings. “Arthur, are you sure this is a good idea?” Charlotte asked, looking at the hybrid raw egg and bloody Mary mix in front of her.”

“Stop looking at it and just suck it down,” Arthur said decidedly.

Both Esther and Charlotte looked at him over their drinks at the exact same time and burst out laughing. Arthur rolled his eyes, “oh grow up ladies,” he said, smiling as he turned back to retrieve more vodka from the freezer.

After the food and Arthur’s magic elixir, both Esther and Charlotte were feeling better—not ready to conquer the world—but at least up for something other than laying around.

The call from the front gate was unexpected but welcomed. “Ms. Denham. We weren’t able to reach Lord Babington. A Mr. Crowe and a Ms. Parker are here a day early—should we send them up?”

“Most definitely,” she laughed as she held out her glass for a refill of her bloody Mary, hazily remembering that there were some drunk texts last night telling Crowe and Diana to come early and join the party. 

A few moments later, another call from the front gate was not as welcomed. “Ms. Denham. Eliza Campion and her companion are here. Should we let her pass as well?”

Charlotte shot a look to Arthur and before they could stop her, Esther instructed security to send her up.

“What’s wrong?” Esther asked when she met both Arthur’s and Charlotte’s stunned faces. “You didn’t invite her?”

Charlotte immediately regretted not sharing the full details about Eliza and Sidney with her while Arthur just shook his head.

The trio made their way to the front hallway where they found a rather sheepish Sidney following Babington down the stairs. “Sorry, Esther,” he said softly, giving her an apologetic grin as he sat on the bottom stair and greeted a welcoming Butter. He turned to look at Charlotte, “and I’m sorry about our night. Guess you’ll have to put a leash on me.”

“We have a bigger problem than your ability to navigate a hallway,” she whispered, extending her hand to pull him up. “Diana and Crowe are here.”

“Marvelous!” Babington chimed in.

“And Eliza,” Arthur added, giving Sidney a disappointed look. “You didn’t text her, did you?”

“I didn’t. I wouldn’t.” Sidney’s face went pale as he took out his phone and scrolled through last night’s texts. “No—I just have Crowe here—you were texting Diana.”

There was no time for developing a strategy as the door swung open and Crowe walked in and dropped his bags loudly on the floor with Diana closely behind. “Quick Parker,” he said pulling Sidney aside. “Why did Diana and I see Eliza at the gate after we drove through? I thought you invited us to a party.” 

Sidney gave him a confused look—“none of us know.”

“Well, you’re about to find out,” Crowe said, as Eliza’s car pulled up.

Arthur stood closer and slightly in front of Sidney in full protective mode while Butter sat at his side. Diana took a similar position at Sidney’s other side. Charlotte admired the siblings’ commitment as she quickly joined Esther to confirm that Eliza’s room was on the other side of the house—and if it wasn’t, to inform her that it most definitely needed to be.

Babington took the role of host as Eliza walked into the foyer. “I didn’t expect such a large greeting,” she said looking around, her smile bright and appeared genuine.

Babington gave her a kiss on the cheek. “You’re a couple of days early, I believe.”

“I realized as I drove up that I had the days mixed up. What a scatter-brain I am. I thought today was the sixth, not the fourth. I hope it’s not an imposition,” she said sweetly. “It looks like a good portion of the party is already here.”

“I’m sure we can find space,” Babington said and looked to Sidney who gave him a reluctant nod.

“I came bearing a fabulous gift,” she said, turning to the door. “Come on in. Sidney, you remember our old acting coach, Dr. Fuchs, I convinced him to come and help some of the newer actors, including our Charlotte, here.” Eliza walked over to Charlotte as she said her last words and gave her a half hug. “It’s so wonderful that you and Esther are here early,” she said evaluating the collective group. “Anyone else here early?” she asked, her eyes wandering.

“No,” Sidney said. “Can I have a word?” Sidney, motioned to Eliza to join him in the other room.

Eliza gave everyone a smile as she followed Sidney into the library. She glanced innocently up at him while he looked down impatiently at her. “You don’t forget dates, Eliza—I said if you came here, you needed to follow the rules.” 

“I am completely on board,” she said, resisting the urge to take his hands and instead took a step back. “I did some soul searching and my only focus is on making our film…meaning all of us…our film successful. That’s why I convinced old Fuchs to join us—I want to do my part to help. I know you have your doubts, but I only want what’s best for everyone and to help you, as executive producer, be successful. That’s what friends do.”

Arthur’s words from yesterday played through his hungover mind but looking at Eliza now with all sincerity made him wonder if she could, in fact, change. He exhaled loudly. “Thank you,” Sidney said, reluctantly. “I’m sure Esther can lead you to your room.”

“Sidney,” Arthur called from the doorway. “I need to see you for a moment.”

Sidney gave Eliza a terse smile and departed the library. “Tell me you told her to go,” Arthur said, a bit red in the cheeks.

“We all make mistakes with dates…and Dr. Fuchs is a good idea,” he said, looking over at Charlotte who was being peppered by the Dr. with questions. “I better go and say hello.”

Arthur looked back in the library at Eliza and was seething. Crowe watched him and pulled him aside. “How about we go for a walk with your friend here and you can clear your head?”

Arthur nodded and signaled for Butter to follow, herself rather confused and disturbed by the new additions to the group.

Eliza stood quietly in the library, happy to have taken a picture of Sidney’s calendar while Zara was busy printing the list of the film’s female cast and crew. She knew she was taking a chance but getting there early enabled her to lay her groundwork. Eliza looked around to ensure she was not being observed as she retrieved one of several small surveillance devices Jack had provided and secured it under the fireplace mantle. “There is most certainly only one person’s success that matters to me,” she thought and smiled. “Mine.”

*****

Dear Diary,

I LOVE Arthur! He rubbed my belly, fed me nearly every thirty minutes, and let me do whatever I wanted. He is smart. We had a fun time yesterday and already this morning he took me on two long walks and his friend Crowe held his hand, which I know he liked.

I LOVE Katy! She is a much bigger dog and she likes to play and run. I loved how Sidney chased me all over—he’s fun! And then Sidney gave me a bath! I don’t like baths but Sidney has good hands.

I LOVE Babington! He let me sleep on the silk sofa and even rubbed my butt. He tried to sit with me but slid off onto the floor. They were all snockered but me, I was a good protector.

I’m sensing a shift in the wind and something tells me I will need to keep my eyes on Eliza—I thought it from what I heard before, but now I know, she’s not one of the pack. I looked for her earlier, but she left the house. I’ll find her tonight and stick close—I’m sure she likes dogs. How could she not?

Will report back soon--need to nuzzle my girl, Charlotte,

Butter


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi – thank you for reading and sticking with me! Shortish chapter. I hope you have a lovely day and please—even with vaccines on the way—stay safe my friends!
> 
> As always, sorry for typos! I’m still working out Butter’s contract so she’s sabotaging my chapters as a negotiating tactic. That’s the last time I let her manage my passwords!

She could hardly believe she had done it, but Charlotte knew that if she didn’t get at least a few minutes of peace, she’d possibly lose her patience or worse, her mind. Dr. Fuchs’s methods were not the most conventional, and while she did feel she was learning something, after nearly six solid hours of his instruction on his immersive acting techniques—including an hour of her channeling the emotions of a potted plant—she was spent. She excused herself for the bathroom, then quickly made her way through the kitchen to the back door and headed toward the stables, hoping to find some sanity in a ride. She also hoped that he could find Sidney and give him a vicious tongue lashing for giving the idea to Dr. Fuchs for a session then making his apologies and leaving just thirty minutes into the lesson.

Nearly to the top of the hill on the path that led to the stables, she was surprised to find Butter and Crowe seated on the ground—Crowe was taking in the expansive view and writing in a small notebook while Butter appeared to be on guard.

“Ah, our heroine,” he said. “Would you like to join us for a spell?”

Charlotte glanced back at the house and sat on Crowe’s opposite side next to Butter, hoping Crowe might obfuscate Dr. Fuchs’s view if he happened to seek her out.

“So, who are you trying to avoid?” he said, giving her a smirk. “I imagine it’s the latest party to arrive.”

“I just need a bit of a break—six hours was quite enough,” she said, noticing Eliza far off in the distance on Katy, disappointed her plans to ride her were sunk but very happy to be nuzzling Butter.

“Six hours? That’s quite the stamina—most people can only take him in thirty-minute increments. But then, according to Sidney, you’re the hardest worker as well as the most natural artist he’s ever seen,” Crowe kept jotting down ideas in his notebook as he spoke. “I think the hardest thing for the both of you is to tone down your chemistry on screen—this is Regency England you know,” he looked at her and gave her a wide smile.

While Charlotte knew they had invited Crowe early when they were drinking, she wasn’t sure what Sidney or anyone had told him. She gave him an innocent smile in return.

“Oh, I can read your mind, my dear. No one needed to tell me. You’d have to be blind not to see it. Put the two of you in a room and it’s obvious. The glances, the way he checks on you every forty-five seconds to a minute—and it was apparent that you were both standing apart but longing to be together when I arrived,” he said and closed his notebook. “It’s my job to notice these things so I can try to recreate them on screen—it will be nice to start with people who actually love each other.”

Charlotte started to choke at his most accurate observations and Crowe opened and handed her his flask. She waved a decline with her hand, but he insisted. “It’s only tea,” he said and nodded. “Let’s keep that our little secret if you don’t mind. I find that when people think I’m drunk, they forgive my little quips much more than if they knew I was sober,” he smiled and put his finger to his lips. “Shhh. It’s a little game I play—maybe you and I can have some fun with it,” he said, taking back the flask.

“Do Sidney or Arthur know?” Charlotte asked, looking across the pond as Eliza disappeared into the woods with Katy.

“No, not yet—I want to ensure I can keep it up. It’s been a little over a year now—I just want to make sure it sticks,” he said, placing the flask in his breast pocket. “I did some not so wonderful things a while back.”

Charlotte reached out her hand for his. “I think we’ve all be there,” she said.

“Considering you wrote an ending to Sanditon, I’m assuming you’re an Austen fan. I’ve behaved something like a Frank Churchill—I deceived to keep my family happy,” he gave her a weak smile. “I have a lot to make up for.”

They sat quietly side by side for several more minutes as Eliza appeared again, this time nearer the pond. There was no denying she was beautiful and she was most certainly a skilled rider.

“I talked with Sidney earlier today. I’m sure he’ll announce it tomorrow, but I’m bringing more of the crew down to do Eliza’s shots this week. We’ll do as many as we can—the sooner she’s done, the better,” he said, squeezing Charlotte’s hand. “I think that’s best.”

Charlotte squeezed it back. “The more I hear and see, I believe you’re right,” she said, as Eliza spotted the pair and gave them a quick smile before she took off for the easternmost lands of the property.

*****

Charlotte decided to avoid the stables entirely and made her way back to the house—taking the long way around the pond while being very watchful of Butter to avoid another mess. Although she was told to limit her phone and texts to avoid any possible interception, she needed to find Sidney. _Where are you? I need to meet X_

She looked at her phone—waiting to see the prompt of his response, but there was nothing. She slowly rambled back to the house. The sun had started to set more quickly than she anticipated and she was starting to feel ready for one of Arthur’s most sumptuous dinners. In her continued efforts to avoid Dr. Fuchs, she decided to use the servant’s entrance and find the back stairs to her room. She stopped at the base when the text arrived.

_You’re sick—stomach unwell. I think you need to go to bed. We must have caught the same bug. See you—my room—6:30. XO ∞_

Charlotte changed course and nearly ran to the kitchen—she had just enough time to feed Butter and change before meeting Sidney. Out of breath, she entered the kitchen where Crowe, Diana, Eliza, and Arthur were awkwardly assembled.

“Oh, I heard you’re unwell. You must get upstairs and rest…we must have you up and ready tomorrow,” Arthur said, rushing her out of the kitchen with a wink while passing Butter a treat.

“Thank you,” Charlotte said quietly, instinctively placing her hand on her stomach.

Arthur shot a quick knowing smile to Crowe and Diana while he retrieved Butter’s dinner—a fine baked chicken a la kibble.

“She better not pass around what she has…I have no tolerance for sick people,” Eliza said while picking at Arthur’s plated appetizers. “Where are the gluten-free options?” she said, poking a few of the puffed brie bites with the nail of her index finger. “And exactly whose mutt is that?”

Arthur took a deep breath and was clearly ready to attack. Crowe immediately intervened. “Drinkies, Eliza? Let’s off to the library. You know, I’ve noticed you’ve got my feet all about your eyes—there’s a cream for that,” he said as he led her out of the room.

Diana and Arthur waited until the coast was clear, and even though Arthur was angry, they both burst into laughter. “Crow(e)’s feet,” Diana said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I love him—Arthur. I hope you find your way back to each other. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that—I didn’t mean to overstep.”

Arthur looked up at Diana and smiled as he placed a fresh bowl of water down next to Butter’s food. “No overstepping, Diana. I sometimes think that I hope so too.”

*****

Charlotte took the back steps nearly two at a time. She had a new, midnight blue silk nightgown that she had properly removed the tags on before packing and a razor was something she had started carrying in her purse—just in case. She stopped mid-step as she realised that may be a little overkill, especially if she ever needed to have her purse scanned to enter a secure building or take a flight. She shook off the thought and glanced at her watch. “Twenty minutes. Perfect,” she said to herself, looking forward to what she hoped would be an uninterrupted evening with Sidney. Although she felt guilty leaving Butter, she was fairly confident that Arthur had her well under control—at least she hoped he did.

*****

“Sidney is sick as well? That’s odd,” Eliza said, taking a large sip of her martini before touching yet another appetizer and putting it down.

Esther and Babington shared a look across the room, reminding each other with their glance not to eat that one. Babington walked over to join Esther and leaned in close. “Let’s give this an hour and head up,” he whispered, discretely running his fingers up her back. “I’d like some time with you before the rest of the herd arrives.”

Esther giggled, attracting Eliza’s attention. She looked at them, marking their closeness but dismissing it for the moment as she considered how she might discover Sidney’s new girlfriend. Jack had already checked the list of potentials Eliza had provided and the trail seemed cold. “Perhaps she is here and is tending to him now,” she thought, finishing her drink.

“Maybe someone should go check on him,” Eliza said softly, without attracting the attention of the others. She placed her drink on the buffet and retreated to the back stairs. Quietly she crept up the steps one by one. “First door on the left,” she said to herself, happy the maid was a fan and had eagerly shared the location of Sidney’s room with her earlier—giving her a high five for ‘Sliza.’ Eliza considered knocking or simply entering and feigning ignorance that it was his room. Before she could decide, Butter, who had unknowingly followed her up the stairs, let out a fairly vicious bark.

With just a few minutes until their rendezvous, Charlotte weighed taking the hallway or the secret passage to his room. She wasn’t quite sure if she should save that for a surprise once the others had arrived or use it tonight. Opting for the hallway, she was about to open the door when she heard Butter’s bark, a rarity indeed. It was the same bark Butter used when she warned Charlotte of one of her failed ex-boyfriends approaching and not to answer the door.

Sidney had never heard Butter bark and quickly opened the door wide, praying both Charlotte and Butter were okay. “Eliza? What are you doing here,” he said, closing the door to just a crack and hoping she had not seen the preparations for what he planned to be a romantic evening with Charlotte.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, I just wanted to make sure you were okay—I heard you were ill,” she said, her eyes focused solely on his muscular chest that was half exposed under his unbuttoned shirt. She instinctively started to raise her hand to run her fingers across his taut stomach as she did some ten years ago, but lowered her hand, complying with his rules, for now. 

Butter quickly put herself between them, sitting directly in front of Sidney and keeping her head titled up, her eyes focused on Eliza.

Eliza looked down at Butter and gave her what could only be described as a look of contempt as she fought the urge to kick the dog away but remembered Sidney’s silly love of animals. As if Butter could read her mind, she showed Eliza her teeth in response.

“I’m fine—I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said and gave her a tight smile, opening the door slightly to nudge Butter inside.

“Well, I might just sit out here for a while and make sure you don’t want for anything—or if you need that dog walked,” she said, taking a seat on the bench across from his room. “I want to be a good friend to you and I need to catch up on my Twitter feed anyway,” she smiled broadly, taking out her phone. “And this is quite a peaceful location—I’ll be able to hear if you call out so don’t hesitate if you need me.”

Sidney knew it was fruitless to argue and simply closed and locked the door. He looked down at Butter with resigned thanks and then to the table set up in front of the blazing fireplace with a selection of Charlotte’s favorite foods as well as a book he had asked Diana to bring from his collection that she had stored for him—an original edition of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poetry. 

He blew out the candle on the nightstand, sat on the bed, and took out his phone. _Guard on duty._ _Evening a bust—I’m sorry my darling. Raincheck?_

He held the phone, his eyes waiting for her response. Butter nudged at his hand to be pet while he sat motionless. He finally started to scratch her ears as he thought about how failed this weekend turned out to be. His phone finally announced her response. 

_RainCheck? RAINCHECK?! Not on your life Mr. Parker!_

He read the text and shut his eyes tight. The last twenty-four hours had been a bit of a mess, and the stress of the last week may have been too much. How would they survive in the real world if they could barely see each other alone? A moment later, he could hear Butter’s tail hitting what sounded like the side of a chair. Clearly, she was happy and he delayed opening his eyes, believing she had found the food, knowing nothing good would come from that.

He slowly opened his eyes and let out a happy gasp.

“I don’t do rainchecks,” Charlotte said standing in the passageway, her silk nightgown reflecting the shimmering fire.

Butter sauntered to the fireplace and found a warm spot to snuggle while keeping guard as Charlotte extended her hand for Sidney to join her.

“Have I told you how amazing you are?” he said quietly. Sidney had heard of passageways years ago, but Babington had never shown them to him.

“I expect to hear that repeatedly for the next several hours,” she teased before kissing him gently. “I’ve missed you—I know it sounds silly since we're here together in the same house, but I really have.”

“I have missed you too,” he whispered, his eyes soft.

They stood that way for a few moments. It was Charlotte who broke their gaze when she gripped his shirt and pulled him close. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten how you abandoned me with Dr. Fuchs so I’d get that food then get your cute little bum over to my room and figure out how you’ll make it right.”

Sidney smiled mischievously, “oh, have no doubt, Ms. Heywood, I will most certainly make it right.”


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends—thanks so much for reading! This is a shortish chapter but thought it stood on its own. Hope it's okay. Work is somewhat crazy so see you over the weekend or early next week. Sorry for typos. Stay healthy and safe everyone!

“That’s very disturbing. I hope it’s just a short malaise for them both,” Dr. Fuchs said while reaching for an appetizer from the tray.

“Not that one,” Esther said, as he was about to take the shrimp puff Eliza had picked up and put down several times. “That one fell on the floor,” she said, gathering it up with a napkin and throwing it in the fire.

“You know, early in my career, I played a doctor several times in a variety of shows, including _General Hospital_ and _Coronation Street_. In fact, I saved several lives on the show—there were a lot of brain tumors when I was there. Maybe I should check on our Sidney and Charlotte,” Dr. Fuchs said, beginning to rise from the sofa.

“No! I mean, I’m sure they have both certainly taken to bed by now,” Babington said, giving Esther a smirk and pointing to his watch, indicating he was eager to do the same as soon as possible.

Dr. Fuchs leaned back into his seat as Arthur set down another assortment of more substantial savory bites that would serve as dinner. Arthur looked around the room to ensure Eliza was absent. “Dr. Fuchs—it really is a pleasure to have you here. What has Eliza asked you to do while you’re here? Any special instructions?” an inquisitive Arthur asked, sitting on the opposite sofa with Diana and Crowe.

Diana, Esther, Crowe, and Babington all turned when Arthur asked the question and were quiet as they awaited the answer.

“Oh, she said there are some young actors who could use some guidance. But the scenes she has with Sidney are my primary focus. She hasn’t worked with him in such a long time—and you know I was their first teacher—I was the one who truly brought out their on-screen chemistry,” he said, beginning to recite every step of his career.

Arthur interrupted. “She doesn’t have that many scenes with him—seems quite an investment of your time for so few lines.”

Dr. Fuchs rolled his eyes lightly as he took a long drink of his second double bourbon. “Well, you didn’t hear it from me but her last two films—bow wow—they were dogs in large part to her, um, overacting. They were only released in countries where they dubbed her voice in another language. I think she’s looking to bring some of the magic back with her Sidney,” he ended abruptly, finishing the last of his drink. He looked around the room. “Does anyone know where she is?”

*****

Charlotte leaned against the bedpost as Sidney quietly retrieved the food and other items from his room.

Sidney placed the plates with Arthur’s sumptuous creations at the low table he had moved to the edge of the bed. “That will most certainly not do,” he said, looking at her from head to toe and shaking his head. 

Charlotte gave him a perturbed look and crossed her arms over her chest. He responded with a mischievous smile as he stood before her and lightly placed his hands on her shoulders. “You trust me?” he asked quietly, his eyes locked with hers.

She paused and appeared a little muddled by the question. “Of course,” she finally whispered and stood on her toes to kiss him lightly on the lips.

Sidney’s smile widened. Simultaneously, his thumbs slid the silk straps of her gown from her shoulders and followed them down her arms as the silk quickly pooled on the floor.

She stood before him naked, her chest rising and falling with each quickening breath.

His lips returning to a roguish grin, Sidney gently gripped both her wrists in one hand while he retrieved his black tuxedo tie from his pocket. “Fair is fair,” he said as he bound her wrists slightly more tightly than she had his at the cottage.

She took a deep breath as he secured the silk and focused her eyes on his. “Trust,” he whispered as he retrieved a silk kerchief from his other pocket and pleated it into a blindfold. He securely tied it to cover her eyes, gently moving her tresses to ensure not to catch her hair in the knot.

Sidney slowly ran the tips of his fingers down her cheeks, over her neck, and lightly across her hardening nipples before removing his hands from her body. He took a step back and watched as she craned her head, trying to see through the blindfold. She reached out her bound hands to touch him, but he was out of reach.

“Sidney,” she whispered. A moment later, Sidney whisked her up and gently placed her on the bed. He propped her against the stacked pillows and lifted her bound hands behind her head, securing them to the finial at the top of the headboard.

He let her sit silent another moment before greedily seizing her lips with his for a rushed yet deeply passionate kiss. He pulled away abruptly as her head jerked forward to retrieve his lips—she missed and released a deep growl.

“Hungry?” he whispered, brushing his lips against her ear.

Sidney retrieved a plate of fruit and cheese and playfully fed Charlotte different combinations, kissing her body between each morsel and occasionally lifting a glass of wine to her lips to sip—licking every stray drop. First, she spilled accidentally, but later it was clear it was very much on purpose and Sidney chastised her with teasing bites.

When Sidney reached the final course and picked up the dark chocolate mousse, he wasn’t as willing to share and repeatedly gave her just a taste on her lips then consumed the rest on the spoon. She finally grabbed a large spoonful with her lips and took his helping, releasing the spoon from her mouth only when she had licked it clean. Sidney tried to kiss it from her, but she refused to open her mouth and turned her head away.

He roughly removed two of the pillows from behind her head and pulled her legs down to lay her flat—ensuring not to harm her bound hands that were still secured the finial. “Stop being naughty or I’ll need to punish you,” he whispered, his body now hovering barely an inch above hers.

Charlotte smiled and Sidney leaned down and took her lower lip in his and bit it with just the slightest force. Charlotte tried to nip his back but Sidney had already started making his way down her neck, leaving more bites than kisses down her chest. He teased by giving attention to the spot just a few millimeters away from where she truly desired—touching the swell of her breast and not her nipple, the soft skin of her inner thigh but not her sex. She started to aggressively squirm as Sidney floated his fingers over where she most desired—briefly touching, slightly caressing then removing. 

“DAMNIT, SIDNEY!” she snarled with complete frustration, much louder than she intended.

Sidney quickly covered her mouth with his. “Shhh,” he whispered, looking toward her bedroom door.

Charlotte used her elbow to inch up the blindfold then looked at Sidney, who gently removed it. They both turned their heads to her door. “Not locked,” Charlotte mouthed, shutting her eyes in disbelief that she had forgotten.

“What?” Eliza muttered, blinking her eyes open as she pushed herself up from the bench. She looked around a bit confused and picked up her phone, realising she’d been asleep for well over an hour. She reread the text from Jack. _You better make something happen fast or our money story will be how you wanted us to expose Sid’s new girlfriend._

She could have sworn she heard a woman yell Sid’s name and approached his bedroom. She placed her ear against the door and listened. Hearing nothing she gently tried the knob but it was locked. “Knocking would be too much, right?” she asked herself, remembering the ‘rules.’ She rubbed her palms over her eyes and looked at the door of the next room. She walked up and put her ear to the door, believing she heard something. She tried the knob and it gave.

“Eliza what brings you up here,” Esther said, as she reached the top of the stairs. “That’s not your room. Do you need some help finding yours?”

“I’m just checking to see if Sidney is okay,” Eliza said, releasing the knob.

“That’s lovely of you, but that’s not his room either,” Esther replied. “I think it’s been a long day and we probably should all just get to sleep,” she said, lifting her arm to motion Eliza to the stairs.

“Yes, it’s just, I thought I heard…,” Eliza said, looking back at Charlotte’s door.

“This old house makes a lot of strange noises—I’m sure it will take me months to get used to it,” Esther said, her comment evoking a perplexed look from Eliza who planned to learn just what Esther meant tomorrow as she didn’t think the cast nor crew were staying that long—at least she knew she wasn’t.

Both Sidney and Charlotte kept their eyes on the door until the sound of Eliza’s heels could be heard on the staircase. Sidney quickly locked the door and turned to look at Charlotte. They both were breathing heavily then smiled, relieved and unexpectedly excited.

Charlotte unsuccessfully pulled to free her hands and Sidney simply shook his head. “Do you think that interruption meant I was done with you? That was just intermission. On to the second act—I think someone needs to learn how to lock a door,” he whispered, removing his shirt and his trousers to stand naked and very aroused before her. He reached for the blindfold.

“Absolutely not,” Charlotte said quietly but firmly, shaking her head. “I want to see everything,” she smiled, running her eyes over his body.

Sidney climbed on the bed and knelt next to her, giving Charlotte chills of anticipation. She was eager to touch him and pulled again at the bind.

“Patience,” he said running his fingers down her side and thrumming them just below her stomach as he leaned over and softly kissed and sucked each nipple.

She arched her back and moaned lightly. “I have been extremely patient,” she whispered, her voice breathy and a touch angry.

“Do you think so?” he asked, slowly running his fingers down to lightly caress, then abruptly stopping.

Charlotte threw her head back into the pillow and gave him a look that clearly threatened now or never—really never.

Sidney let out a light laugh and moved down the bed and ran his hands under her hips to bring her to his mouth. “At least having you bound means I won’t have another patch of hair ripped out,” he sneered. “Now, no screaming,” he advised, throwing her a schooling look as he lowered his eyes to his mission.

With the first flick of his tongue, Charlotte began her quiet litany of f-words. She needed to grab his hair, grab her breast, grab the pillow, something—but she was completely at his mercy and he had none. He repeatedly brought her to the edge, then slowed, until her litany of f-words turned into penitent pleas. His hands tightened around her hips as his tongue finally offered the release she most desired in a more than explosive manner.

Sidney lowered her hips to the bed and kissed his way up her body then released her hands which she used to quickly push him on his back, Charlotte straddling, asserting complete control. While she fully intended to tease him, she was too far gone and needed him now. She rolled her hips against him a few times then leaned over and grabbed a condom from under the pillow. Within seconds they were one and neither lasted as long as intended but did fall, both satisfied, against each other knowing there were most certainly more acts to come that night.

Charlotte placed light kisses on his chest, while Sidney stroked her hair—both feeling this quiet closeness was more important than their frenzied desire. Sidney tightened his embrace and pulled her nearer. He opened his mouth to speak his true feelings but Charlotte unknowingly interrupted.

“Be on your guard, Mr. Parker. You are going to pay for all that torture when you least expect it,” Charlotte jokingly threatened, raising her head to look him in the eyes, then laying her head back down softly on his chest.

Feeling his moment to say the words and recite Barrett Browning’s most lovely poem was gone, Sidney simply replied, “I can’t wait.”

*****

The poem of course is _Sonnet 43_ \-- https://poets.org/poem/how-do-i-love-thee-sonnet-43


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and hi to my Zoom friends 😊!  
> Have a great day and please stay safe and sane. As always, sorry for typos.

It was barely dawn and Eliza hadn’t slept more than an hour. She had a sinking feeling that it was all starting to slip away and her dream of trying to crawl out of a deep hole but not able to catch a hold on the wet stone wall had shocked her awake. She sleepily sat up and swung her legs off the edge of the bed, feeling more tired than she had in a long time. After draping her silk robe over her shoulders, she stood and lumbered to the large window from which she could see the stables in the distance.

She started to worry that her deal with Jack Howard could be her own undoing. It wasn’t until recently that she realised how terribly naive she was when she made the agreement with him—he clearly knew what he was doing when he ensnared her so early in her career. She now wished that she had talked about all of her indiscretions with Sid so much earlier in their life when he was still a friend before selling her soul to Jack. But she didn’t know how to do that, how to be a friend or admit any fault.

For years she was able to play the world’s favorite sweetheart and every time Jack threatened to expose some salacious nugget about her all she had to do was create something about Sid to distract him. But now, offers were drying up and with her career on the downslope, she knew Jack had enough dirt on her to put a final nail in her coffin unless she did something and did it fast. 

It was Charlotte who brought Eliza out of her thoughts. In the far distance, she watched Charlotte running with a dog. “How many of those are here and why does anyone even want one?” she uttered aloud, pushing aside the sudden memory of wanting one as a child and her mother saying she’d only get one if they made it into a coat. “At least she’s feeling better and won’t make me sick,” she thought to herself, looking at the dog again. “Is that?” she asked herself, squinting at the dog in the distance and trying to determine if it was the beast that came between her and Sidney the night before. She shook her head. “It can’t be,” she said, closing her eyes and looking again, but by that time Charlotte and Butter were gone.

Her thoughts traveled back to Jack. She knew he was growing impatient and she realised she better put out the rest of the surveillance devices so he didn’t have any reason to jump the gun and release anything about her before she gave him Sid’s new girlfriend. She also thought she might go for another ride to try to find some way for Jack and his crew to sneak on the grounds—but definitely not on that horse from yesterday who ended up throwing her mid-ride. After a quick change into her riding clothes, Eliza grabbed the bag of devices and headed out.

Charlotte felt a little guilty leaving Sidney so early but considering what she put him through over the last several hours she felt he deserved the rest and was fairly positive that Butter, who had most certainly been a true friend last night, needed to go. As they approached the stables, Butter ran ahead to see her friend Katy and Charlotte hoped she’d be up for an early-morning ride before the craziness of the rest of the cast and crew arrivals ensued. 

Following some pleasantries with the amorous groom who Charlotte was surprised to find already several hours into the day, she and Katy were off and Butter decided to stay back and cuddle in Katy’s stall awaiting their return.

After placing a few devices in some of the more public areas as well as the kitchen, Eliza was a bit confused. She could have sworn she had already affixed one in the library, but it wasn’t where she thought it should be, and quickly replaced it before heading to the stables planning to install the rest after the others woke and vacated their rooms.

As she approached the stables, she could see Charlotte in the distance on Katy. “We’ll see if she has better luck with that horrible beast,” she said to herself, rubbing her bruised bum. She dropped her bag on a low bench as she sought out the groom to saddle a horse for her. The sound woke Butter from her slumber. Still a bit groggy, the dog stood slowly to explore the leather satchel. It was Eliza’s voice demanding a horse that brought Butter to full attention. She nudged the bag open with her nose and checked to see if anyone was watching before she took the leather strap and pulled the bag into a large, fresh pile of Mercy’s morning muck then resumed her position in Katy’s stall.

“I’m sorry, mam, but after the incident with Katy, I’ve been instructed not to saddle any horses for you,” the groom said standing firm.

“Just wait until I tell the executive producer about this,” she said angrily. She turned to grab her bag, which was not there, her eyes widening when she finally spotted it. “What?!, Who did this?!” she stared at the groom.

He held his hands out, pleading innocent. “We’re the only ones here,” he said, looking around.

Eliza spotted Butter, who quickly feigned sleep and closed her eyes. Eliza clenched her fists and started to approach the dog when the groom’s kind offer distracted her. “Let me clean this up for you,” he said, putting on his gloves. Realising she couldn’t risk him seeing the contents, she quickly snatched the gloves from him and grabbed the bag, brushing off the muck and removing the various mounds that Butter had skillfully angled into her satchel, effectively rendering the remaining devices unusable.

With Eliza’s back turned, Butter quietly stood and hugged the side of the stall as she crept to the stable door then bound full speed to the house to seek out breakfast from Arthur.

Charlotte finished her ride and approached the paddock with Katy, who stopped cold upon seeing Eliza exiting the stables, ignorant of their presence. Charlotte tried to nudge her forward but she would not move. “I get it,” she said, patting Katy gently. “I’d keep my distance too if I could.”

*****

Sidney awoke happier than he’d been in days. While the night before hadn’t included the declaration he’d planned, he felt more in love with her than the day before and couldn’t help but smile. He reached for her only to find a piece of paper, the contents of which made him laugh.

_Out riding. I thought you needed a break. If you think that any of what I did to you last night made up for your earlier torture, be on guard—you are very, very wrong Mr. Parker. I will take my revenge. See you at breakfast XOX_

He let his head fall back to the pillow and tried to think about what he might plan for the evening. “I’ve got to make the most of that passageway,” he thought. He reached for his trousers from the floor and retrieved his phone. “The Posies always have good ideas,” he said to himself as he opened the fiction site and began to scroll through some of the new stories for inspiration.

After a few minutes, he was interrupted by a text from Babington. _We have a problem. Where are you?_

Sidney sat up. _In Charlotte’s room. What’s wrong?_

Babington replied. _You both decent?_

“Strange question,” Sidney thought as he replied… _Charlotte out for a ride, what’s up?_

A moment later, Sidney heard a click and Babington walked through the mirror that led to Esther’s room.

“Seriously? How many of those do you have,” Sidney asked, a bit amazed. “Please tell me there aren’t spy holes as well.”

Babington didn’t smile. “We don’t believe in spying on our guests, but someone does,” he said, tossing the disabled device from the library onto the bed. “They found it when they did their sweep this morning. We have a mole my friend and I have only one suspect.”

“She wouldn’t. Right?” Sidney asked, knowing the answer.

Babington didn’t reply at first and walked to the window. “Whatever Eliza has done in the past, it was all part of her being selfish, or jealous or a bad girlfriend, or whatever. This,” he said, turning to Sidney. “Now this is criminal and we can’t ignore it.”

“How do we prove it? Can they get fingerprints,” he said, immediately dropping the device that he’d been examining back onto the bed. 

“No, much too small,” Babington said. “Katie and her team are going to do a second sweep, including our rooms. If they find anything, they’ll let us know.

Sidney thought for a moment. “Actually, I’d tell Katie to let us know what they find, but to leave them. We have a rather skilled writer who I’m sure could help us devise a trap for our little mole.”

Babington nodded. “It’s a good idea,” he said, heading back to the passageway.

“And Babington,” Sidney started. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I never conceived that she could sink this low. I can’t understand why,” he said, clearly confused.

“My friend,” Babington turned and walked to the bed. “You have nothing to apologize for. I think Eliza is desperate and desperation can make people do stupid things. You missed this last night but Dr. Fuchs shared her last two films weren’t even released in English-speaking countries—they were only shown in places where she could be dubbed. I think she’s trying to hold on.”

Sidney nodded. “I think what I’m more concerned about is figuring out who she’s working with—and how long she has been doing this,” he said, giving Babington an anxious look.

“We’ll get to the bottom of all of it, my friend,” Babington said and headed back to the passageway.

“Hey,” Sidney said. “Don’t tell Arthur any of this—let me tell him later. I don’t want him arrested for poisoning her.”

*****

Breakfast was not the relaxing experience that Charlotte imagined.

Arthur was busy instructing the additional kitchen staff and calling in favors to find a missing shipment of provisions while he slipped Butter bacon under the table. Diana and Crowe were in a debate about the historical accuracy of the table settings for the London ball scene. Esther was on the phone adjusting room assignments while Babington was in a quiet conversation in the corner with Katie. And before Charlotte even poured a cup of coffee, Sidney was at her elbow, discretely telling her to follow him.

Sidney led her to a dark alcove under the stairs. Charlotte took a step toward him to kiss him good morning and he took a step back, shaking his head. He took out his phone and showed her a text he wrote but did not send.

_Someone bugged the house. Katie and team working to locate all devices and will tell us where they are. We need to set a trap—most likely Eliza. Can you help? We need to keep up appearances. X ∞_

Charlotte looked at him confused. _Joke?_ she typed, handing the phone to him.

He shook his head regretfully and she nodded, her face immediately going pale.

He typed rapidly and handed the phone back… _don’t worry—your room was all clear._ _No record of last night except what’s burned deep in my mind. 🔥🔥🔥_

She smiled and gave him a light squeeze on his hand as she left him in the alcove to think through how to snare Eliza.

*****

The afternoon was even more frenzied than Charlotte could have imagined. It seemed as if every hall was filled with people, luggage, and equipment, and she more than once almost tripped on power and other cables that had yet to be secured.

“Are you okay?” James Stringer reached out for Charlotte as she stumbled yet again.

“Yes—not used to any of this yet,” she smiled, politely pushing his hands away from her waist where he had let them linger.

“I just saw my room—pretty spectacular. Where is your room?” he asked, then realised that may have been a creepy opener.

“I have a nice room,” she said, looking for some escape from this discussion which Esther readily supplied upon spotting them.

“Charlotte, wardrobe needs you for your London ballgown fitting—they are trying to accelerate that and make it the first shot,” she said, giving James a nod of recognition.

“Sounds good,” Charlotte said as she joined Esther and gave James a wave goodbye. “Thank you for the save. He is very nice, maybe I’ll introduce him to Diana,” she said, heading up the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Esther asked. “Wardrobe needs you, really.”

“I thought that was just an excuse—are you saying that the first scene we’ll shoot for the entire film is one where I’m basically falling in love with Sidney’s character during a dance,” she asked quietly. “I thought we’d work up to that.”

Esther smiled. “Aren’t you already there?”

Charlotte blushed and stuttered a bit. “I just thought we’d shoot things in order…I wasn’t thinking I’d have to show that much so soon…in front of everyone.”

“Crowe already thought of that. He asked Dr. Fuchs to do a session this afternoon—Sidney knows and thinks it will be good to get everyone focused,” she said, leading her to the wardrobe trailer. “I have no idea what to expect. I’m just happy I’m not an actress,” Esther said, leaving her at the entrance.

While being poked and tugged for more than two hours, Charlotte’s thoughts vacillated between the upcoming scene and a plan to out Eliza. She found herself actually hoping the mole was not Eliza for it if were, she was most certain that Sidney would find a way to blame himself and she didn’t want him to hurt.

After a variety of pictures were taken of her in her dress and Crowe’s review of the look, giving her a smile and an approving thumbs-up, Charlotte was undressed by the staff and quickly redressed in her jeans and sweater. She then was off to the library for the class for which she was already late.

Sidney sat on the sofa in the library, which had been rearranged and chairs added to provide for the entire cast. Everyone was milling about and starting to find a seat as Dr. Fuchs looked through his papers. Eliza spied the open spot next to Sidney and quickly wove her way to join him, hoping that even if he didn’t want to be back with her just yet, he might let something slip that she could mold into some scandalous tidbit that could appease Jack. Sidney met her eye as she approached and he didn’t need to think up an excuse or force himself to recite the rules as Butter quickly hopped up on the vacant seat and spread out, placing her head on his thigh. He thankfully snuggled her ear while Eliza gave the dog a disgusted look and she left to find an empty spot near the front of the room.

Charlotte stood at the back, looking not to interrupt as Dr. Fuchs began his lecture about the importance of understanding your character’s motivation. He pulled several actors up to talk about their character’s relationships, beginning with James Stringer and the man playing his father. The two men wove an intricate tale of a history that Charlotte had never conceived. “Am I supposed to do this for Charlotte—beyond what I wrote?” she thought, taking a few steps back, trying to hide in the shadows as people applauded the two men.

“Ah, Charlotte, yes, you, come forward with Sidney – you both are shooting an important scene tomorrow. Come, come!” he said, instructing them to sit facing each other in two chairs he had placed at the front of the room.”

“It will be fine,” Sidney whispered. “It’s just one of his acting exercises. Just go with it.” He gave her a quick smile and she sat back in her chair; a bit more relaxed but still anxious.

“Now. Let’s start with you Charlotte. Tell him when you fell in love with him,” Dr. Fuchs said. “And, go!”

Charlotte looked at Sidney then at Dr. Fuchs then back at Sidney then down at her hands. “Charlotte,” Sidney again whispered. “Tell me when your character fell in love with mine,” he nodded and gave her a reassuring smile.

“I think she fell in love with your character,” she started.

“No…you are in character Ms. Heywood, please,” Dr. Fuchs interrupted.

“I think…” she began again.

“Do you think or do you know?” Dr. Fuchs interrupted again. 

Charlotte gave Sidney an apologetic look and glanced around the room. She nervously looked at the rest of the cast, locking eyes briefly with Eliza, which suddenly and inexplicably embolden her and made her very protective of Sidney and of what they shared—not protective in a way to hide it, but to declare it. She was tired of keeping up appearances and the power that gave Eliza and the paparazzi over them. She didn’t want Sidney and herself to be fearful they’d be discovered and wanted to take the power back. She was confident they could handle whatever might come.

She took a deep breath. “I loved you before I knew,” she said declaratively, staring directly into his eyes. “It wasn’t as if I woke up one morning and it suddenly happened. Instead, it was an unfolding—as if some gift had been given to me and I was gently unwrapping the paper slowly so not to tear it, appreciating every moment—no matter how frustrating,” she smiled, her comments causing several of the cast members to laugh. “I think, no, I know, when we first danced and I couldn’t get it right—you didn’t abandon me, or scold or make fun of me—you held me and encouraged me to be better. You stuck with me, helped me improve, and then I couldn’t imagine my life without you,” she said confidently, hearing the sound of pages rustling as the cast and crew flipped through scripts trying to piece together the story she was weaving.

Sidney looked at her first somewhat confused, then desperately wanted to kiss her because, while it took a moment, he understood this had nothing to do with the film and everything to do with them. He knew that while this was not how he planned it, he most certainly needed her to know how he truly felt. He searched each poem he ever read, all the song lyrics he attempted, and every romantic line he’d delivered, and nothing seemed to fit. He reached into his pocket and removed the simple button she’d lost from her blouse at their first civil meeting then placed it in her hand. “I guess it was always there—my love for you. Even when I picked this up, I knew I would return it and we’d laugh about it and occasionally revisit the story throughout our lives together,” he smiled at her. “When I think of the future, I always see you. I love you Charlotte and the words you wrote—when I said them to you that day I meant them…I believe,” he said taking her hands in his.

“I am my best self...my truest self...when I’m with you,” they both said in unison.

Sidney lifted his hand to her cheek and softly brushed away a tear with his thumb before kissing her gently and lovingly for what seemed minutes until the applause from the class brought them both back to reality.

“Nicely done, nicely done—not exactly sure about some of that with your character, Sidney, but wonderful result,” Dr. Fuchs said. “Let’s take fifteen.”

Eliza, who had a front-row seat, sat with her mouth wide, her face pale. She watched as Sidney and Charlotte left the room passing by Esther and Babington who were standing holding hands near the fireplace. Her confusion quickly turned to anger as she made her way through the crowd and out the front doors of the house. Although it was cold and she had no coat, she was hot as she quickly put distance between herself and the house. She grabbed her phone and dialed Jack. “Charlotte Heywood—get everything you can on her, tear her apart. Sid’s bedding yet another costar.”

Jack’s smile could be heard through the phone. “I need proof—I need a picture, the fewer clothes the better.”

“I’ll get you the proof—just be ready,” Eliza barked. “I want her reputation and this film ruined.”


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading and being so supportive. Um, that said, don’t hate me for this chapter. Also, fair warning…I see only a small handful of chapters left for this story. So let’s get to it…. 😊
> 
> As always, apologies for typos! And stay healthy, safe, and sane!

_Dear Diary,_

_On a break from Dr. Fuchs's class. Lots to catch up on but only have a few minutes—I need to keep my eye on THAT WOMAN. First, today I got to see Katy – YAY! Arthur gave me bacon–Double YAY! And this just in…Charlotte and Sidney FINALLY told each other about their love feelings. I swear they are so silly. They both knew from the start—it was obvious, well, at least to me. But then again, I am clearly the smartest of the pack._

_So, here is the other big news. I’m starting to think about THAT PERSON—she is not part of our pack, she is up to no good (which I’ve stopped her more than a few times now) and, candidly, I’m fairly happy that Katy threw her yesterday. But…and here is the rub…I think there is most certainly more here and I’m going to find out. I wonder if she really just needs training—and maybe a paw to hold—instead of being, um, put down._

_She’s heading out. Gotta go. Will update soon,_

_Butter_

*****

Eliza quickly wiped away a few genuine tears. She was still staring stupefied at the phone, the call long disconnected. She hadn’t cried for real in so many years she’d forgotten how it felt and looked around for any witnesses—ready to claim she was rehearsing for a scene.

It wasn’t anything Charlotte or Sidney had said that convinced Eliza of their love, it was Sidney’s look of pure adoration and complete devotion. That’s how she most certainly knew it was no act. She recalled how he had looked at her that way when they first started their relationship at university and didn’t realise then how rare it truly was as she never again saw the look from any other man. It was that hurt which fueled her rash call to Jack.

A feeling was building in her and she didn’t like it—it tasted something like regret and she kept looking at the phone starting to hate what she’d done—fearing she acted must too hastily. She squeezed her eyes shut. “Focus—it’s either you or them and you know what you need to do,” she told herself, shoving her phone into her pocket while trying to push any feelings other than self-preservation out of her head. “But if you ruin this film, you ruin your comeback too, you idiot, what have you done,” she said aloud.

She wasn’t expecting the judgmental look that awaited her when she opened her eyes—Butter sat just a few feet in front of her with a terribly disappointed expression. Eliza looked around again, trying to figure out where the hound came from.

“Don’t look at me like that! Get out of here you mangy beast,” she growled at Butter, who responded by standing up, walking closer and sitting back down while maintaining the same scolding look. “You have no idea how hard it is…how hard it has been all these years. It’s a dog-eat-dog world you know,” Eliza said, just wishing Butter would stop judging her and go away.

“Eliza, wardrobe needs you,” Esther yelled from the front of the house, wondering exactly what she was doing with Charlotte’s dog.

Eliza looked at Esther then back at Butter who seemed to shake her head in disgust. “You’d do the same,” she said, turning swiftly and heading into the house to wardrobe. Butter gave her a few paces of a head start then followed closely behind.

*****

Knowing they had only a few precious moments alone before needing to rejoin Dr. Fuchs for the remainder of the session and then meet with Sonia to rehearse their dance, Sidney led Charlotte to the dark alcove where they had met earlier that day. They first both clumsily reached out for the other’s hands and let out surprised, what could only be called, giggles as Sidney brought their interlaced hands to his heart. 

“That was wonderfully unexpected,” he smiled, his head still reeling from her declaration and trying to recall exactly what he said in response. “You most certainly caught me off guard, my darling. If I wasn’t clear, I love you Charlotte Heywood,” his smile widening. “I love you, love you, love you,” he whispered, kissing her now closed eyelids with each declaration.

She responded by placing a gentle kiss on his lips, parting with a whispered, “I love you, Mr. Sidney Parker.”

“I had planned to tell you last night—I even had Elizabeth Barret Browning to back me up,” he said, his eyes so full of love.

“And I had planned to tell you on your birthday with, well, with a song I wrote for you—or really new lyrics for the song you wrote. I just couldn’t get it right,” she said apologetically.

He waited a moment and sheepishly confessed. “When Arthur and I picked up Butter I saw your lyrics and I think they are the most perfect and beautiful that I’ve ever read.”

“I meant every word,” she whispered.

They stood looking at each other, separately yet together imagining their futures full of love, family, and happiness.

It was Sidney who broke their reverie. “That was a very public declaration—for both of us. Some people thought it was our characters, but I know others saw the truth. It’s a big step—are you sure? I understand if you want to try to retract…the press will be relentless…”

“I’ve never been more certain than anything in my life,” she said confidently, kissing his hand as he squeezed hers. “It suddenly dawned on me. I’ve spent the entire afternoon trying to figure out a trap for Eliza when I realised that we are the ones in the trap. She and Jack and all of the others—we are giving them the power to tell our story. I think we need to take that power back.”

“I like the sound of that,” he said. “What do you have in mind?”

“I have an idea…” Charlotte started only to be interrupted by Sonia.

“There you are! You both need all the rehearsal you can get if we are to shoot in the morning—I’m stealing you from Dr. Fuchs…Allez Vite. Maintenant!” she commanded, snapping her fingers for them to follow.

*****

“Have you gained a little weight, dear?” Mrs. Griffiths asked as she tugged at the back of Eliza’s gown, trying to fasten the elaborate buttons. She’d already pulled the corset as tight as it would go without completely cutting off Eliza’s oxygen supply. “I’m going to need to see if I can let this out and try to find some additional fabric,” she said, shaking her head in disgust as she removed the dress. “I’ll let Crowe know I need some time and they should reorganize the scenes.”

Eliza stood in just her underclothes looking in the mirror—she had to admit she’d been stress-eating a little, but she didn’t think it was that much. She’d never had this problem before. “Ugh, what is happening with me,” she said to herself as she pinched a little less than a new inch. She looked at her stomach in the mirror then noticed Butter behind her, giving her the same disappointed look as earlier. “Are you stalking me?” she asked, redressing quickly as Butter turned her head but did not leave.

The house was eerily quiet as most of the crew was focused on transforming rooms for various shots and the cast had retreated to remote corners to study scripts and rest for tomorrow. It was the beautiful music from the study that drew her attention. Eliza opened the door just a crack and watched as Sidney and Charlotte practiced their dance scene with Sonia, clearly working hard not to smile at each other. Eliza had studied this scene a number of times as hers was the character who challenged their happiness—causing so much distress. It was most certainly a great part, “and here,” she thought, “I’m playing it in real life. That should give me some pleasure, right?” she supposed as she longingly observed how Sidney held Charlotte and how they had the look of a couple clearly in love.

She quietly closed the door and stepped back, almost tripping over Butter. “What is with you?” she gritted through her teeth. They both looked at each other for a short time. “Come on,” Eliza said reluctantly, heading toward the kitchen, which she was very happy to find vacant. “You probably think I’m the worst,” she said as she opened one of the refrigerators and scanned the contents, eyeing what looked to be one of Arthur’s famous and decadent chocolate cakes. “Maybe I am,” she muttered, taking out the heavy cake and placing it on the counter while she sought out a fork.

“Shit,” she said, remembering the surveillance device she placed in the kitchen that morning. “Jack must already have me raiding the fridge earlier,” she said as she retrieved it from the top of a cabinet, threw it in the garbage disposal, which she then flipped on to high speed. Within seconds her phone pinged.

_Why the hell did you do that?_ _We heard_ _Arthur is meeting Crowe this evening there for dessert—that’s going to be a great outing of that supposedly womanizing director. Get another camera in there or the big story is you!_

She looked at the text, exhausted at jumping with every alert. “When did this become about Arthur and Crowe—how many people are you targeting…jerk,” she said to her phone. Eliza turned off her alerts, tossed her phone across the counter, and took a bite of the cake. “You can’t have this,” she said, looking down at Butter. “Chocolate is bad for you. Let’s see what else they might have.” She fumbled around one fridge then went to the other. “Ah, sliced roast beef for tonight’s dinner…looks like a pound or two, here you go,” she said as she placed the plate on the floor then grabbed the cake and sat down next to Butter leaning her back against the wall.

They both silently ate for several minutes, Butter only breaking to drink some water from the bowl Arthur had left in the corner for her. “You know, this wasn’t how I imagined my life,” she said. “You’ll find this hard to believe, but I actually didn’t even want to go to university or have this type of career—I wanted to be a shop girl or maybe work in a pub…but mother would have none of that. I can’t wait to hear her after everything comes out. I’m pretty much screwed right now—I doubt even my insipid hangers-on will want anything to do with me,” she said, licking the back of the fork. “I guess we’re all screwed because of me—there is no way to stop this train.”

Butter barked at her, as if in vehement disagreement, then turned her head as Arthur entered the kitchen.

Arthur nearly dropped his coffee as he stumbled upon the site of Eliza on the floor devouring his chocolate cake with Butter who had all but polished off nearly a pound of roast beef. “I think I’ve entered an alternate reality,” he whispered to himself, taking a step back. He quickly took out his phone and immediately texted Crowe. _Kitchen NOW! I need your help._

Eliza took another bite of the cake—chocolate now on her cheek—and again licked the fork, looking at Arthur, saying nothing.

Arthur knew he couldn’t wait for Crowe and found his voice—a bit worried Eliza might use the fork as a weapon. “So…Eliza…three things: First, you know that’s not gluten-free. Second, that’s for like twenty-four people and you’re about ten in. Third, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, I know what eating feelings looks like so how about you put the fork down and tell me what’s wrong.”

She gave him a possessive look and placed a large forkful of cake in her mouth, then clearly became more distressed with each bite, the tears starting to fall.

“What the hell!?” Crowe asked upon entering the kitchen, he too feeling as if he entered a David Lynch or John Waters film set. “What the heck did you do,” he whispered to Arthur, who held his hands out, claiming innocence. “Let’s get her up. You take the cake; I’ll grab her.”

“I think you most definitely chose the easier task,” he whispered back as they approached her.

Arthur gingerly removed the cake from her lap and the fork from her hand then gave Butter a questioning look while Crowe picked up a now sobbing Eliza under her arms and plopped her on the kitchen chair. Through sloppy sniffles and messy tears that required nearly a box of tissues, Eliza confessed every salacious piece of blackmail Jack held on her—from plumping up her costars with fat-laden “healthy” snacks to cheating on Sidney, to all the things she’d fed Jack over the years to keep her secrets. Arthur would have been more furious if it wasn’t for her blubbering, making some of what she said unintelligible. But he most certainly made out the fact that her mother was furious that she had yet to win a BAFTA, OSCAR, EMMY or been given an honorary title—especially now that Eliza, according to her mother, was clearly so far past her prime.

After nearly fifteen minutes, both Arthur and Crowe looked at each other, neither knowing what to do. “Do you think this is an act?” Arthur whispered over her sobs. 

“She’s not that good of an actor,” Crowe whispered back, looking at his watch. “I think we need to put an end to this—should we call Sidney?”

“I actually think we should contact Susan,” Arthur said, sending her a quick text about needing help and asking if she was free for a Zoom consultation.

“You keep a lookout and I’ll get her to her room,” Crowe said, pushing the cake further away as she reached for it. “That’s enough pet, let’s go.”

“Back stairs,” Arthur said, picking up the clean plate next to Butter. “I think this is somehow your doing,” he said. “And I’m not sure yet if this is a good thing or not.” Butter licked his hand and let out a very beefy-smelling burp before following them all up the stairs.

*****

“I think the hardest part about tomorrow is keeping something of an interested scowl on my face—I’m not sure I can look at you and not smile,” Sidney said, kicking off his shoes before sitting next to Charlotte on the bed and taking her hand in his. “Knowing you love me—I’m not sure I’ll ever stop smiling,” he said, leaning and placing a gentle kiss on her temple.

“I know exactly what you mean and I think Sonia and Crowe will kill us tomorrow if we don’t get it together,” she laughed, falling back on the bed, remembering how frustrated Sonia had become by the end of their rehearsal.

“So before I lose myself, what is this great idea you have?” he asked, reclining to lay next to her, one hand propping up his head while the other traveled under her sweater, resting now on her soft stomach.

“I think we need to call in reinforcements—we need Parker’s Posies,” she said, placing her hand on his cheek. “And I think we need to give them everything.”

Sidney shot her a confused look, his eyebrow arched. Before he could ask, there was a knock on the locked door.

“Mr. Parker, Sir. We’ve been trying to reach you,” Katie said through the closed door.

Sidney sat up and pulled Charlotte with him from the bed. “One sec,” he said, taking out his silenced phone from his pocket and reviewing the missed calls and texts—learning immediately why Katie had come.

_Katie: Your mole has outed herself; we should act now! Call me_

_Tom: My sources say Jack Howard is shopping around some big story that features you. Be careful. Love you. Call me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading. Work is a bit wacky so I hope to update early next week 😊


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading. I’m feeling in a bit of a silly mood—hence this chapter 😊 Please keep healthy and safe! Sending everyone my love!

After reading his texts, Sidney handed his phone to Charlotte so she could review, then he opened the door for an awaiting Katie.

“I saw your text—I’m assuming it’s Eliza, where is she?” he asked, knowing what he needed to do but struggling with a memory of her when they first started dating that suddenly wouldn’t leave him alone. They had gone to the beach for what was a fairly normal day of relaxing, having a picnic, swimming—it was what he did nearly every weekend as a child with his family. She was so overwhelmingly grateful it was actually odd. She kept saying she’d never had a day like that and couldn’t believe people did that with each other all the time. He never did understand what she meant.

“How did she out herself? What did she do?” Charlotte asked, seeing that Sidney was fraught and wanting all of the facts before any confrontation with Eliza.

Katie came and stood next to Charlotte and took out her iPad. She unlocked it and quickly closed the story she was reading, but Charlotte immediately recognised it as the continuation of the Posy story about Sidney being a hot college professor and gave her a knowing smile.

“You told us to leave the cameras but we’ve been monitoring the feeds and putting them on a delay in case we needed to jam the signal and this just happened,” Katie said, loading the video and handing the iPad to Charlotte.

Charlotte studied the video of Eliza grasping the camera and throwing it in what looked to be the garbage disposal…the last view from the camera appearing to be Eliza looking over the sink. “She clearly knew where the device was, but why would she want to destroy it?” Charlotte asked and was answered only by unknowing looks from both Katie and Sidney. “Do we know where she is now?”

“I’m guessing the kitchen may be a good place to start,” Sidney said, reaching for Charlotte’s hand. “Can you give us a minute?” Sidney asked of Katie, who nodded and waited outside, closing the door behind her.

“You saw Tom’s text—you know the story is about us, right? Are you okay with that?” he asked, his hands now on her shoulders. “I’m sure we can stop this somehow.”

Charlotte gave him a reassuring smile. “I don’t care what other people think or say…although, there are a few pictures out there of me in some rather revealing outfits when I was on my book tour with, well, with a really bad boyfriend. And, of course, there is my family and that drama. It will all be humiliating in some way, but who was it that said, if you haven’t f’d up you haven’t lived,” she said smiling then kissed his lower lip gently.

“I think Einstein said something along those lines but without such colorful language. But I know how much you like the f-word—it means I’m doing something right,” he joked, then his expression became serious again. “Really, this will be tough.”

“I will be okay; we will be okay. Let’s go find Eliza…and figure out what’s going on,” she said and took his hand as they followed Katie to the kitchen.

“This is strange,” Sidney said as the three stood in the empty kitchen. “Looks like several people had a bit of a binge,” he pointed at the demolished chocolate cake.

“I’m much more concerned about this,” Charlotte said, looking down at the plate on the floor with only a sliver of roast beef left. “Has anyone seen Butter? This could be disastrous.”

Katie swiftly pulled up the tracker they had placed on Butter’s collar at Sidney’s request but there was no need. “Make way! Make way!” Arthur shouted as Butter ran down the back steps with Arthur following quickly behind. “Open the door!” Arthur yelled and Charlotte quickly obliged as Butter ran out toward the pond.

“What did you do?” Sidney asked. “I warned you like a hundred times about food and treats,” he said, picking the plate up from the floor and placing it in the sink.

“Don’t blame me for the roast beef or that,” he said nodding to the cake. “Someone is having a breakthrough, um, or a breakdown—not sure yet.”

“Water, we need water—and she’d really like the cake,” Crowe said, jogging down the stairs. “Oh…the gangs all here,” he observed, going straight to the cabinet and retrieving a glass. “She’s on with Susan. I needed to steal the toilet paper from like every bathroom around her room—couldn’t find tissues—so someone may want to address that before the yelling of stranded cast and crew members begins. Oh, and Arthur, you owe Susan like four dozen chocolate sables with sugar sides—don’t forget.”

“What’s going on?” Sidney asked, incredibly confused and not liking it.

Arthur kept his eye on Butter so he’d know exactly where to tell Eliza to clean up. “I found Eliza here with that cake—which was whole just a few hours ago—sitting on the floor having, well, a meltdown. She gave Butter like way too much roast beef, hence…” he said, pointing outside at the dog who had finally decided where to go. “She is on a Facetime therapy session with Susan now…it’s really, um, reality show material. Katie, can you go and maybe keep people away from Eliza’s room—give her some space,” Arthur said, shocking himself and everyone else with his empathy for Eliza.

“Sure thing—just let me know what you need…and remember, there are still active devices here, here, and here,” she said, pointing to a map on her iPad. “Alert me when you want them taken care of,” she said then left the kitchen.

“Okay, so what’s with Eliza…what do you mean by meltdown,” Sidney asked, leaning against the counter.

Arthur and Crowe looked at each other. “She basically revealed every despicable thing she’s done since grade school—including how she cheated on you and more—including her work with Howard,” Arthur explained. “It’s her confession to share with you Sidney—there is a lot there. And Charlotte, I think your dog actually thawed her frozen heart.”

Sidney and Charlotte looked at each other. “Is she going to be okay?”

“Actually, she seemed more human than I’ve ever seen. It’s a little unnerving,” Arthur said. “And yes, that’s coming from me! I think she is on a better path.”

“We found out from Tom that Howard is shopping around a story—do you think Eliza will help us figure it out?” Sidney asked, taking Charlotte’s hand.

“It sounds like she’s been under his thumb for quite a while according to what I could make out—I think she’d like to turn the tables if she could. And bring Butter—I don’t think she’ll be able to say no to her,” Crowe said. “She has a real thing for your dog.”

Sidney’s head was spinning—this was definitely not what he expected and needed some reassurance that they had a way out of this. “So what is this plan of yours that involves the Posies and how do we out Jack Howard?” Sidney asked Charlotte.

“What are we like the Scooby gang now?” Crowe asked, drinking the glass of water he had poured for Eliza.

“Oh, I’m Shaggy,” Arthur chimed in quickly as Butter sauntered into the kitchen. “And we have Scooby.”

“I think we both are Shaggy,” Crowe groaned, shaking his mop of hair dramatically and giving Arthur what could only be described as a sweet smile. “Sidney, you’re clearly Fred. Charlotte, I’m thinking Velma vs. Daphne—there it is,” he said, finishing the water.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “I’m very happy being the smart one who solves everything,” she said, giving him a smirk. “First, Sidney. I think we need to call Zara up here right away and we’ll need your public relations lead, Karla, and your lawyer, Elena. And Crowe, we’ll need you to shoot and edit something pretty fast. And Sidney we also may want Judy and Andrew to come just in case things get rough,” she said, thinking how upset Jack might become.

“I think I see where you’re going,” Sidney said. “Should we go see if Eliza will help us out?”

“Come on Scooby gang,” Charlotte called heading up the stairs. “Let’s see if Eliza will be our Daphne.”

“I’ll bring the cake,” Arthur said, grabbing it and following behind.

*****

They all stood outside of Eliza’s bedroom door, which was open just a crack. Sidney could hear Susan’s soothing voice but couldn’t make out exactly what was being said. It was Butter who pushed open the door and made her way through piles of tissues to sit next to Eliza who had just put down her phone so she could reach for another roll of toilet paper.

“Not it,” both Crowe and Arthur said simultaneously, taking a step back.

“Cowards,” Sidney silently mouthed then stepped through the threshold.

Charlotte quickly took his hand. “You’re not in this alone,” she said, giving his hand a tight squeeze. Charlotte closed the door behind them as Eliza blew her nose loudly.

“Sid…Sidney,” Eliza said, her voice weak, “I’m really, really sorry…for everyt…” she couldn’t finish.

“Sidney, Sidney,” he could hear his voice being called from under a mound of tissues. Somewhat repulsed, he reached to find Eliza’s phone.

“Susan. Um, I sorry about all this,” he said to her via Facetime.

“Look, I’m running low on power, love,” she said. “Oh is that Charlotte? Hi Charlotte,” she waved.

A little confused, Charlotte waved back.

“Nice to see you. Little bit of crazy, huh? Hmm, I’m not really supposed to say that as a therapist. Sidney, I’m going to throw a few things in a bag and drive to you. Eliza,” she said a bit louder. “You’re doing a great job. Just tell Sidney what we talked about. And be honest—I’ll be there in a few hours,” Susan said. “And Sidney, remind Arthur I want those cookies.”

Sidney stood with Eliza’s now quieted phone in his hand, Charlotte just a step behind. Eliza looked up at them both, pointed at Charlotte, and started crying again. “I thought you and Esther were…” she again didn’t finish. Sidney looked at Charlotte and she shrugged her shoulders in ignorance.

Eliza pointed at Sidney. “I thought if you and I, if we…we could just go back in time and make it all better. I’ve made so many mistakes.”

Eliza spent several minutes rambling through some of her worst offenses done to appease a threatening Jack Howard. Sidney fought every desire to yell at her for her past and current offenses—knowing that it would do no good at this moment. He also knew that if Susan was coming to help, she must see something redeemable in Eliza and honestly wanted that for her.

They were all quiet for several minutes, the only sound was a pleasant groan as Butter allowed Eliza to pet and scratch her ears.

Sidney looked at Charlotte and then back to Eliza. “I don’t forgive you—yet. You’ve caused a lot of pain to a lot of people, but I believe you are sincere in your desire to make amends. But so help me, Eliza, if this is another act…”

Eliza looked up at him, her eyes swollen and her face red. She couldn’t speak, she just started to cry again.

Sidney looked back at Charlotte. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.

Charlotte gave him a nervous smile and knelt to face Eliza. “Do you really want to make amends?”

Eliza nodded as she wiped away the recent rush of tears.

“Then I need you to get up and pull yourself together. You need to look absolutely amazing within forty minutes—it will be the biggest role of your life. Think hotter than Daisy in _The Following_. If you do this—if we all do this well, I swear, your fans will forgive you and you’ll have Jack Howard out of your life,” Charlotte said as she stood then extended her hand to Eliza.

Eliza looked at Butter, who stood and nudged her up. “Arthur, Crowe…get in here,” Charlotte shouted. “And leave the cake outside.” She quickly reviewed the plan for Eliza. “Let’s get Esther in here to help Eliza get ready. We don’t have a minute to lose. Now let’s all get to work.”

*****

Charlotte took a deep breath before entering the library, knowing the importance of this performance. She was dressed in a simple white, long-sleeve silk dress that belted at the waist then generously flowed down just below her knees. She thought it would be good for dancing and provided just the right amount of dramatic flair when she planned to flip her hair and emotionally turn away from Sidney.

“I just, I can’t anymore,” she said as she stormed into the room, Sidney following closely behind, clearly distressed. “I need to leave, now,” Charlotte pleaded, her eyes full of tears.

“Please, Charlotte, I love you, what can I do?” Sidney said, pulling her into his arms, holding her tight even though she resisted.

“With Eliza here and all of this security—I feel I’m being watched all the time. I feel like I’m a bird in a gilded cage,” she declared, the tears starting to flow. “And we…we can’t even have a moment alone…together. I want you, Sidney, I need you,” she begged, running her hands over his chest and unbuttoning his top button.

“I need you too,” he proclaimed. “Eliza is sick and the doctor has confined her to her room as she may be contagious—so she cannot bother us. If I shut down the security for the night and send all the guards home…would that make you feel better? Would you stay?” Sidney asked, kissing away her tears.

Charlotte dramatically turned her back to him. “But what of everyone in the house? We can hardly have a passionate evening with all these people so close—they’ll hear everything. You know how shy I am…” she looked over her shoulder and batted her eyes, “…but how loud I can be,” she said, spinning to face him, barely able to keep a straight face.

Sidney passionately kissed her to keep her from laughing. “Meet me at the stables—tonight after rehearsals. Ten o’clock. There we can do whatever we want, as loud as we want,” he said, kissing her again. “I’ll call off the guards right now and have the security system shut down and we can spend our night making love in the hay.”

Charlotte nodded as Sidney took her hand and led her out of the room.

They quickly made their way to the empty kitchen. “Do you think he bought it?” Charlotte asked.

“How could he not?” Sidney growled, pressing hard against her and nuzzling his lips to her neck. “I did,” he whispered. “Now, giddy up!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, sorry for those insidious typos and mistakes!
> 
> I know I don’t need to supply this link as everyone has it! HotProf Pt. 3… Return to Browning https://archiveofourown.org/works/28027911/chapters/68660766 I'd get another degree if he was my Prof!


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for reading, for sticking with me, and for all of your lovely comments. Your gracious and supportive words have meant more than I can express--especially when the story got/gets a bit wacky! Even though I don’t always know how to appropriately respond, please know that I am tremendously grateful and wonderfully overwhelmed by your support.
> 
> Butter says hello—she is still arguing for more compensation but she did get several treats for Christmas, so I think she’s good…for now…
> 
> Please stay safe and healthy and have a good week 😊

He knew he was well above the speed limit but this story would be worth any fine. Jack Howard squinted at himself in the rearview mirror. “This is it…it will be the biggest payday ever,” he winked as he slicked back his hair then glanced at the recording equipment haphazardly piled on the seat next to him. Taking a partner to be a lookout with him on a job like this would have been the norm, but there was no way he’d share this glory with anyone so he needed to be a one-man show.

Jack already had the story planned—he’d release skillfully edited highlights the lascivious video of Sid and Charlotte right away, followed by some of the details of Charlotte’s boyfriends with pictures of her nearly falling out of her dress at a book signing that he had just recently acquired. He’d write that she was dating all of them all at once just to spice it up. “I still need to come up with some Jane Austen-themed headline for the story— _Sex and Insatiability_ just doesn’t do it,” he said to himself.

With a little incentive, he was sure her former boyfriends and even her stepmother would be good for a few quotes and embarrassing stories to support a series of articles. He could resurrect some of the old Sid stories of how he dated his former costars as well—he had flash drives full of them. After, he’d release everything on Eliza. “She’s an aging actress—there won’t be interest in her for much longer so best to strike while it’s hot,” he laughed. Then, the coup d’état—he’d sell the full Sid and Charlotte sex tape and retire. “I can keep this story hot for at least six months—maybe a year.”

His GPS told him it was just fifteen minutes more to Babington’s estate and he began to salivate with anticipation, able to taste the salacious video he’d have by the end of the night.

*****

“Are you nervous?” Sidney asked, gripping Charlotte’s hand tightly, revealing his own trepidation.

“A little,” she said, raising his hand to her lips and giving a gentle kiss. “I just want this to work…for you…and, she looked down at Butter who had kept pace with them on their walk to the stables…for Eliza…and maybe even people we don’t know about. I think Eliza did really well—she pulled it together,” Charlotte said, giving Sidney a confident nod.

“Yes, it was actually a little scary how she turned that on,” Sidney said. “It’s hard to know what’s an act sometimes.”

“From the little I know of her, I think Susan seems to be a good judge of character and even she seems to be changing her mind about Eliza…so at least that’s something,” Charlotte stopped just short of the paddock. “Are you ready to ravish me in the hay?” she asked, giving him an exaggerated come-hither look.

Sidney pulled her close, his expression turning serious. “Charlotte, I know we think we have everything covered but we don’t have any idea how Jack could respond. We’re not dealing with someone who has morals or ethics—he could turn violent,” he said, his eyes fixed on hers. “I just…I don’t want you to get hurt…I love you Charlotte…promise me you’ll stay close and let security do its job.”

“I trust Katie and her team and now with Judy and Andrew here, I know we have the experts on hand. I won’t take any chances…and I expect the same of you, Sidney—you can’t look like an aggressor here,” she reminded. “I love you Mr. Parker and I can’t wait to get this over with so I can rest easy in your arms tonight,” she said as she stroked his cheek lightly.

“Sidney, Charlotte,” Babington could be heard on their earpieces. He had insisted on joining Katie and the team in the makeshift command center in one of the horse trailers—he felt the safety of his friends was his responsibility and had demanded to be briefed on all of the contingencies in case something went sideways. “We’ve just gotten word that the slime is approaching the gate…he’ll be here shortly. Take your positions—and don’t worry, the team has you surrounded. And the authorities are being informed of a trespasser right now.”

“No trespassing, hah,” Jack quickly drove past the two large signs and found his way to the service road to the stables. He parked near the horse carriers and retrieved his best long-range mic and camera and quietly made his way to the barn, trying to hear sounds of passion while silencing the heavy fall of his boots.

“Oh, Sidney!” he could hear Charlotte exclaim loudly and he rushed to locate the couple. He set up his camera and started to record what appeared to be a passionate, yet fully-clothed exchange.

After a few minutes, Jack was becoming impatient, “come on…off with the damn clothes,” he muttered to himself.

“Are you doing okay?” Sidney whispered, as his hands clutched her bum tightly and he lifted her up and pressed her to him, her back against the stall wall, her legs wrapped around him.

Charlotte moaned loudly, “Yes, are they almost here?”

“Authorities are about two minutes out—um, go ahead,” Babington said awkwardly, suddenly realising that maybe Katie was right to advise him to let her direct his friends in having fake sex.

Charlotte began to run her hands around Sidney’s waist, pulling his shirt from his pants and deftly lifting it over his head then throwing it onto the ground, barely missing an alert Butter. Sidney slowly lowered Charlotte onto the hay and began to unbutton her dress, pulling it down her body, thankful to find her wearing the most modest, almost bathing suit-like underwear. Charlotte felt the same as she relieved Sidney of his trousers.

“This is it!” Jack Howard thought to himself, zooming in his camera to capture what he hoped would be the video that secured his happiness on a tropical island for the rest of his life. He licked his lips as he saw Charlotte play with the waistband of Sidney’s briefs. 

“Hold it right there,” the officer said, standing just a few feet behind Jack Howard. “We got word of a trespasser, but it seems there is much more than that going on here,” the officer said, while another seized Jack’s camera.

“What?!” Charlotte exclaimed, pulling on her dress while Sidney wrenched up his trousers.

“I have a restraining order on this man,” Sidney said, moving to stand in front of Charlotte to shelter her from the officers’ eyes. “He is not allowed anywhere near me.”

“Mr. Parker—wow, we didn’t,” the officers appeared fairly star-struck and Jack used the diversion to quickly back away and try to make his way to his car. A growling Butter stopped his path and the officers seized his arms.

“This is entrapment!” Jack yelled as he struggled against their grasp. “They wanted me to come! I can prove it!”

The officers looked at each other. “How?”

Charlotte took Sidney’s hand and stepped closer to him as the officers allowed Jack to retrieve his phone from his pocket.

“See, watch this,” Jack said, giving Sidney a threatening sneer.

The officers played the video of Charlotte and Sidney planning their tryst at the stables then gave Jack a questioning look.

“See, they told me to come,” he said.

“I did not approve any such surveillance devices in my home,” Babington said, strolling confidently into the stables. “I’m Lord Babington and this man is trespassing here.”

The officers nodded and gripped Jack’s arms tightly. “But they framed me!” he shouted. “You saw it!”

“What I saw was a video of two people having a conversation that you seem to have an illegal recording of. I also see you taking illegal videos of two people in a private sexual act for what I’m assuming is personal profit.”

“Don’t you see, they took their clothes off on purpose—to make the charges worse,” Jack spat angrily.

“Yes, sure they did,” the officer said as he tried to close the cuff on Jack’s large wrist. Enraged, Jack broke free and lunged at Sidney, his fist coming close to hitting him in the jaw but Butter jumped against Jack, pushing him back before the fist could make impact and the officers quickly subdued him. Charlotte squeezed Sidney’s hand tightly, reminding him that he could not react with any violence. Jack needed no help in burying himself deeper.

“Now you are charged with resisting arrest and attempted assault as well. Add trespassing on a Lord’s property and the violation of the restraining order and I don’t see you leaving jail any time soon,” the officer said, as he cuffed Jack to lead him away.

“Officer,” Judy approached after Jack was placed in the back of the police car. “There is another station you’ll want to speak with—I would suggest remand before trial. We had a dangerous run-in involving his use of a vehicle to stalk Mr. Parker’s girlfriend and he has also taken photographs of Mr. Parker’s young nieces and nephews.” Judy and Andrew gave the officers their statements as well as their former ranks in Special Forces.

*****

Babington gathered their earpieces and he and the rest of the security team let Charlotte and Sidney alone to collect themselves before the next part of the plan went into action. “Why do I suddenly feel guilty?” Charlotte whispered as she rested her head against Sidney’s chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

“Because you’re a good person, that’s why.” He whispered in return. “Mr. Howard did all of this to himself. You know that, right?”

“I know, it’s just sad that someone would make their entire lives about hurting and taking advantage of other people,” she said, pulling him closer to her and thinking how Sidney had lived with such a false reputation for so many years and how even Eliza spent so long living in fear. Charlotte looked up at Sidney. “I’m so thankful to have you in my life—you know that, right? You came along when I needed hope and love—I can’t even imagine if someone like Jack came into my life…” she said, a tear of gratitude running down her cheek.

“Sweetheart, you are much too strong and savvy for the likes of a Jack Howard,” Sidney whispered then kissed her lightly. They remained quiet for several moments, holding each other as the excitement of the evening washed over them and they enjoyed the peace of just being alone together. Butter’s nuzzle against Sidney’s thigh brought them back to reality and he released his hand from Charlotte’s waist to give the dog a thankful caress of her ears.

“I owe you,” he said, kneeling to give Butter a proper snuggle. “Without you, I’d be icing a swollen jaw right now.”

Charlotte felt her phone vibrate and she removed it from her pocket to watch the news alert featuring a video of Jack Howard being arrested that Zara had expertly leaked to the Posies. “I think it’s time we release the other video—what do you say?” Charlotte asked as she started to text Zara with approval.

Sidney looked up at her and nodded. “I guess it’s all or nothing,” he said, giving her a smile then turning his attention back to Butter who had most certainly earned the belly rub she was now demanding.

*****

“Here we go,” Zara said as Esther, Babington, Arthur, Crowe, Diana, Susan, and Eliza looked on. “We’re live,” she said, giving Katie, Karla, and Elena a nod and they immediately started retweeting the two-minute video to fellow Posies.

Diana smiled as she replayed the video for the third time…

“Hi, I’m Eliza Campion, and welcome to Sanditon,” she said, happily walking through the set for the London ballroom scene. “It’s a brilliant conclusion of Jane Austen’s novel based on the book by Charlotte Heywood, who is also the screenwriter, and thanks to me, she’s our heroine as well,” Eliza said, as she joined Charlotte at a table where Sidney also sat, both of them holding hands. “And Sid…I mean Sidney Parker is also starring and producing this great adventure.” Both Charlotte and Sidney smiled and gave a brief wave.

“We’ve just started shooting—Crowe is our masterful director,” she said, and Crowe briefly pointed the camera at himself then panned back to the table. “And we all thought we should get a few things out of the way first because, let’s face it, there has been some weird stuff out there.”

“First, I want to thank the Posies for all of your support over the years and wanted you to be the first ones to know that Charlotte and I…well, we’re in love,” Sidney said, giving Charlotte an admiring smile.

“Yes,” Charlotte smiled in return. “And thank you for the wonderful stories—they’ve been very, um, instructional,” she winked. “Please keep them going.”

“As you can see, I am not with Sidney—haven’t been for many years and since I know everyone thinks he did me wrong a decade ago, let me be clear…I’m the one who really screwed things up,” Eliza said bluntly. “Most of what you’ve read…um, okay, all of it, was made up. There will be some not so nice things that will come up about me and we are working through that, but I am truly sorry,” she said, looking at Charlotte and Sidney, who gave her a confident nod. “And come on, Sidlotte sounds so much better than Sliza, right?”

“Now that we have that all cleared up—stay tuned and we’ll post tours of the production every week so you can be part of it. And we’ll have experts like Diana Parker and even our host, Lord Babington, provide behind the scene looks,” she smiled at the camera. “So check out the Sanditon account and let us know what you’re interested in seeing and we’ll do our best,” Eliza concluded.

“One more thing,” Crowe said, panned the camera to Arthur then jumped in front to join him. “And just in case there are any questions…this is my boyfriend, Arthur,” Crowe said, taking Arthur’s hand. “Hi, Mom!” Crowe waved and blew a kiss.

The video closed with the Sanditon logo. Diana watched as the retweet and comment counts ticked up—her eyes wide at the rising numbers.

“ _This Morning_ is calling, they’d like to talk to Eliza, Sidney, and Charlotte tomorrow,” Karla said, holding the muted phone.

“Tell them yes,” Charlotte said, Sidney nodding in agreement as they returned from the stables. “This is our story to tell, no one else’s.”

“Karla, I think you are going to be rather busy for at least the next month until some of the hype dies down,” Sidney said. “Are you good with that?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “But I do think people will be interested in Sanditon for much longer than that,” she said, looking at the call coming in from _Vanity Fair_.

“Any interviews will need to be early tomorrow,” Crowe chimed in. “We need to make sure we capture the right daylight.”

“I thought we were starting with the ballroom scene,” Sidney said, the production schedule running through his head.

“Oh, we’re going to shoot the dancers tomorrow and some of the other characters—you and Charlotte aren’t needed now. The B camera crew will be here and you and Charlotte can head out with the A crew to the cove. Be sure to dress warm, I hear it’s going to be one of the coldest days of the year,” he said as he waved his hand goodnight and walked from the room with Arthur. “Thank Charlotte for the shooting change. It was her idea,” he shouted from the hallway.

Everyone started to leave the room but Sidney stood still and gave Charlotte an exasperated look. She smiled innocently as she started to walk away. “Remember when I said you’d pay for that torture when you, um, kept me waiting much too long and wouldn’t do what I wanted when I wanted last night? Consider this my revenge,” she said, running full speed from the room and up the stairs as Sidney quickly followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope I made Jack Howard creepy enough…personally, I was getting a little weirded out. Butter, of course, demanded I write her as the hero—it’s now in her contract.
> 
> As always, sorry for typos!
> 
> Hi...just adding this as I got a few questions -- this isn't the last chapter...one more to go...for now :)


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short, last chapter to end this part of their journey. Thanks so much for reading this crazy rambling work! I appreciate how much you’ve all taught me as I write these little stories—you have all given me more than you know and I hope to repay the favor one day! A special thank you to Sonia for her amazing support! And thank you to all my Twitter sisters and Zoom friends (and maybe in 2021 I'll get back on FB).
> 
> Stay safe and healthy! Happy New Year!

Charlotte rushed up the stairs barely reaching her bedroom door before Sidney caught her about the waist and spun her to face him. “Really! The cove. It’s freezing!” he said, exasperated, his lips slowly curling into the mischievous smile Charlotte had learned to love so much. “You are going to pay,” he growled into her ear, his hands traveling up her sides, his fingers exploring.

Charlotte’s heart began to race in anticipation of the punishment he clearly had in mind and she tilted her head, giving him full access to her neck where he began to lightly dust soft kisses. “I warned you,” Sidney whispered as he began to mercilessly tickle her, his fingers quickly locating every sensitive spot he had meticulously memorized. Charlotte broke out into loud squeals and Sidney quieted them by covering her mouth with his, offering a long, passionate kiss that left her even more breathless than his ruthless attack.

His eyes locked with hers and Sidney did not break their gaze as he reached behind her to open the bedroom door then began to take slow steps that forced Charlotte to walk backward through the doorway continuing her path until she clumsily tumbled onto the end of the bed. Sidney stood above her and quickly lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Suddenly, the reality of all they had met with that day washed over them. Without a word, Charlotte slowly removed her dress, bra, and panties, then inched her way toward the middle of the bed. She extended her hand for him, and after removing his trousers, he joined her.

Slowly and quietly they examined every inch of each other, ensuring they were both safe and whole following the day’s events. The only words either uttered were “I love you” whispered after every kiss, every touch, every pleasing stroke. Exploring for nearly an hour, Charlotte collapsed onto Sidney’s chest and they both drifted in and out of sleep for an hour more.

“I need to tell you the truth,” Charlotte said softly. Sidney opened his eyes and gazed down at her, his hand stopping midstroke on her back.

“I don’t love you,” she whispered, then sat up slowly and pulled the sheet to cover herself. 

Sidney looked at her with wide eyes, her words instantly causing a stabbing pain in his heart.

“No, no,” she said, gently stroking his cheek. “That’s not what I meant,” she smiled an apology. “I feel so much more...the word ‘love’ doesn’t seem to express enough…I feel like I’m struggling with some foreign language where I don’t know enough words to even ask for the bathroom let alone describe what you mean to me…” she couldn’t finish, tears had started to roll down her cheeks and she was starting to feel silly for even trying to share her unnameable feelings with him.

Sidney sat up to face her and took her hands in his. “I know,” he said, leaning his forehead to hers. “Dear Charlotte, I know because I feel the same—never before have I felt so free, so myself yet so much better, so hopeful, so inspired…and also so scared that I’m going to mess this up,” he confessed.

They both looked at each other for several moments, their eyes saying what they could not. They finally broke into smiles then relieved laughs. 

“As long as we follow the rules we established at the cottage, I think we’re going to be just fine," she said teasingly and pushed him back down on the bed. “Anyway, I’m sure you’ll mess up a lot and I’ll just be my magnanimous self and be wonderfully forgiving,” she laughed lightly, wrapped her arms around him, and again laid her head on his chest.

Sidney stroked her hair lovingly, smiling as he found a stray piece of hay from earlier. “Guess we missed one,” he said showing it to her. “I wouldn’t mind heading back to the stables before we wrap up shooting here. I think that was one of my best roles.”

“I myself, wouldn’t mind heading back to the cottage,” she said, running her fingers across his chest. “But this time without a skunk.”

“And without me burning dinner,” Sidney countered.

“And without Butter having way too many treats,” Charlotte looked up at him. “I never want to repeat that again.”

“Deal,” he said, as he started to slowly wrap his fingers in her hair. “And without you pulling out my hair. That’s a rule we need to add—no grabbing my head when I’m doing my best to please you. Deal?” he tugged lightly on her hair.

“If you keep working so hard for me that way, then most definitely it’s a deal,” she said, leaving a kiss on his chest to seal the pact. “We should probably get some rest—big scene tomorrow and all.”

“I can’t believe you’re going to have me catch my death for your revenge,” he said, tugging her hair lightly again. “It’s going to be cold for you too, you know.”

“Oh, they lined my dress with fleece, so I’ll be just fine,” she smiled. “I almost forgot. I have something for you too—to keep you warm,” she said reaching under the bed then presenting him with a small box. “I had it made special by your tailor, Julie. Open it.”

Sidney opened the box and gave her a confused look. “What is this?”

Charlotte took out the small piece of tan leather and held it up for his review. “It’s a leather modesty pouch. See this elastic loop keeps the pouch anchored in place around your..." she smiled and looked down. "It will work for the multiple takes I'm sure we'll need. Julie offered to come up to ensure it fit, but I told her I could take care of that,” Charlotte said, snapping the elastic band.

“Considering what you do to me, I think that ‘pouch’ is going to need to be a lot bigger,” he joked, pulling her back down onto him.

“Let’s see if it fits,” Charlotte giggled, snapping the elastic band again as Sidney launched another stealth tickle attack.

Suddenly, Sidney’s phone rang. “I’m sorry, I have it on ‘do not disturb’ it must be important,” he said, grabbing his phone and seeing multiple texts from Tom.

Sidney answered quickly. A look of disbelief crossed his face as Charlotte watched, unable to hear what Tom was saying.

“We’ll get back to you in the morning,” Sidney said. “Love you…and Tom, thanks.”

“That was Tom,” Sidney said, his eyes wide.

“I gathered that—is everyone okay?” Charlotte asked, moving closer to Sidney and taking his hand.

“ITV contacted him. They want to know if we’d be interested in turning the film into a two-season series,” he said, still looking stunned. “They want to talk about it before we start filming. What do you think?”

Charlotte didn’t know what to say but was ready to take any and all adventures ahead as long as Sidney was by her side. “There’s no harm in talking with them, right?” Charlotte asked, placing her hand over his heart. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

_Dear Diary,_

_I deserve this—a cushy couch, a warm fire, and, thanks to Arthur, a nice big beef bone…hmmm, hope it doesn’t stain this nice white sofa._

_Anyway…it’s been a full day. Since I wrote last, I helped Eliza through her breakthrough (she’s still not part of the pack, but I could see liking her more), I ate like two-pounds of roast beef (thanks Eliza! maybe you are part of the pack), and…oh, yes, helped take down that dastardly Mr. Howard. Everyone is happy and making loving sounds in their rooms, so I get the library to myself._

_It’s hard to believe that just a year or so ago Charlotte rescued me from a loveless, lonely life and brought me to live with her. At eight years old, soon to be nine (shhh, I know I look more like five), I had no idea how great things could get. Now, in addition to Charlotte, I have Sidney and his big, strong belly-rubbing hands. There is Arthur with his wonderful treats, Babington who lets me on all of the furniture and Esther, and Diana, and Tom, and Crowe, and everyone else--including those amazing Posies! Life is really great! I definitely know they are very lucky to have me…don’t tell them...I’m very happy to have them as well. I know with this family; we can face whatever lies ahead._

_Talk with you soon and boy, I hope I see my friend Katy tomorrow._

_Love, Butter_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I posted the previous chapter, it dawned on me that I don’t think I ever shared the wacky inspiration for this story. I got the idea late one night (insomnia) when I read a Twitter thread about the use of a modesty pouch during the filming of the cove scene. Several people (you know who you are) volunteered to help our Mr. Parker get into costume. I never got to include that little detail in the story so this chapter is meant to address it in some small way (no pun intended). 
> 
> Thank you again for so much kindness and patience with me. I hope to pick this Sidlotte up again when inspiration so moves—I like them and don't think I can stay away for long—but for now, they need to focus on shooting our Sanditon!


End file.
